The end of the world as we know it
by agnewrl
Summary: Just a teeny, tiny one shot to make myself feel better after watching the season 4 finale! ****spoiler alert***** if you haven't seen the season finale, you might want to read this later. I own nothing but the story and the heartbreak of seven months of DYING to find out what happens next!
1. Chapter 1

Bellamy and Raven stood in the window watching the world below them burn. He had to believe she would have known how to survive. Had to hope, that somehow the nightblood kicked in and she was down there, waiting for them to return to her. "How long before we can go back?" he looked at Raven, his voice barely a whisper. She sighed and took his hand in hers "a few years" she returned softly. "Hey" she said turning to look him in the eye "it's Clarke, the great Wanheda, the mountain man killer" Raven said, "She'll survive somehow, like she always does." He sighed and turned away from the window, he couldn't bear to watch anymore. "I know you're right" he said "but seeing that down there" he cast one last look at the earth burning below him.

Echo walked up to them. That's all the two of them did, was stand in the window and watch the earth burn. "You didn't survive to do this," she told them "trust that Clarke got to safety, trust that Abby's cure worked. But don't do this… " She said. "This" she said pointing to the fiery picture below, only breed's death and despair. That's not who Clarke is, now gets your asses away from the window and do something productive" she ordered. Bellamy snorted, "Since when have you become the optimist?" he asked her. "Since someone convinced me that it was better to live in space, then kill myself in a lab" she looked at him. "That guy was the heart, she was the head" he sighed sadly. "That guy is still the heart" she reminded him, "and she may still be the head, we don't know what happened, but sitting here" she motioned at the window "imagining the worse is not helpful." Bellamy eyed her "you're right" he said, "thank you." She smiled at him "I know you're worried and if she did die saving us, then she died a hero's death, but if she didn't, we need to make sure we survive, and that means not standing here watching the earth burn. So you two get your asses in gear" she told them turning on her heels and walking away from them.

Raven pointed after her "who went and appointed her the boss?" she snorted. Bellamy grinned, "She has a point" he said "what if Clarke did survive? We should be focusing on doing the same." Raven looked down "I know what you're saying is true, but what if she didn't?" she asked. "Are you two planning on joining us anytime soon?" Echo reappeared, Bellamy chuckled "we better go before Echo does something dramatic." With a final backward glance, they walked away from the window "May we meet again" they whispered in unison.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Okay, I know I said a one shot, but this story is stuck in my head. Fair warning, I am going to resurrect some characters who may or may not be dead, after all in TV land, death without a body doesn't necessarily mean death. I am also going to explore some different ships…**

Raven and Bellamy reluctantly walked away from the window into the dining hall. The ring seemed too large to simply hold the seven of them, but an air of sadness and loss filled the space. Clarke was one of them, she was more than one of them, she was their fearless leader; the one who acted first and thought later, who made the hard choices, so the others didn't have to. This time, it was Bellamy who made the hard choice. What he felt closing the door on the rocket must've have been what Clarke felt when she closed the door on the drop ship leaving he and Finn outside during the grounder attack. The difference was they survived the attack; the chances of her surviving praimfaya were slim to none. Unless the nightblood treatment she'd given herself actually worked. The thought that she had died in the nuclear meltdown was almost too much to bear. Nobody was talking, but everybody was thinking the same thing. They survived but the thought that their survival came at the expense of Clarke's life was not lost on them.

Emori and Echo watched the others, they understood the pain of death and loss; and while they were not necessarily unaffected by the potential loss of Clarke, they weren't paralyzed by it as the others seemed to be. The room was eerily silent. Finally Echo looked at all of them impatiently "you guys are the experts on space life" she told them "you need to snap out of it and make sure that _if_ the nightblood did not save Clarke that her sacrifice counts for something" she told them. Raven was the first to recover. As hard as it was to hear the truth, Echo was right, they needed to snap out of it or they would not survive and losing Clarke was all for nothing. "Maybe tonight we eat an MRE and find places to sleep" she suggested "tomorrow we'll work on surviving here for the next five years." No one spoke, but a general consensus seemed to have been reached, so they each took a meal and ate in silence.

Afterwards, while Monty, Harper and Raven worked to make sure they would have water and check out the Algae farm so that they could survive Emori, Echo, Murphy and Bellamy toured the ring checking for housing and searching for bedding and any other supplies they would need. Echo glanced at Bellamy's stony face. She knew he must be feeling something, but for once his emotions were well hidden. "Clarke's a survivor" Echo spoke softly "and she does have nightblood" she reminded him. "Nightblood that doesn't work" he spit out. "Neither did Luna's at least not right away" she shot back. He scoffed "even if it kicks in and she does survive, she is alone" he pointed out "nobody else survived praimfaya." Echo heard the pain in his voice. She wished she knew what she could do to help him, but their history has not been one where that seemed even a remote possibility. First, she killed his people in Mount Weather and then she tried to kill his sister. "Look, I appreciate that you are trying to help" he said "but I really don't want to talk about Clarke" he said softly. She nodded "okay" she agreed.

They came to a set of rooms "let's start here" he said opening a door. The room looked ransacked, like whoever left it did so in a hurry. Luckily, that meant there were things they could scavenge. A bed and built in dresser was in the corner, too small for a couple, but the perfect size for one of the others. "I'll take this room if you don't want it" Echo offered. Bellamy nodded "let's get it cleaned up a little" he said "we'll take anything we find and put it in a pile in the dining hall and see what we can put together." One room at a time, the three of them did this finally finding quarters for each of them or in the case of Monty and Harper and Murphy and Emori, one for both of them.

Hours later, they all sat back in the dining room sorting through the massive pile of useful items they'd managed to scavenge. "Wow, they must've just packed what they could carry and left" Monty remarked. "Looks like it" Raven agreed. Somehow they'd managed to get enough bedding and personal items to survive. "It's been a long day" Murphy sighed "why don't we take our stuff and get some rest?" he suggested to Emori. She nodded "okay" she said. The rest followed suit until it was only Echo, Bellamy and raven remaining. Bellamy and Raven looked at each other, but said nothing. "I'm going to turn in to" Echo said, sensing they wanted to be alone "I'll see you in the morning." Bellamy nodded, but said nothing "night" Raven responded. "Bell" she heard Raven say to him softly. She looked back long enough to see Raven wrap her arms around him. His arms went around her waist and he buried his head in her neck. Echo had only seen Bellamy like this once; when she told him Octavia was dead. It was clear that Clarke meant a great deal to him. The loss or at least potential loss of her would haunt him for a long time. As she turned and walked away, she could have sworn she heard sniffling.

"What if she did survive?" Raven asked Bellamy. The two of them sat on the floor holding each other's hands. "Even if she did" Bellamy sighed "Do you really think she can live alone in a place with no food or drinkable water for the next five years?" he asked her. She snorted "Are you kidding?" She scoffed "how many bunkers and buried cars have we found over the years?" she asked him. "We've also raided them" he reminded her "taken most of the good stuff." She shrugged "Have a little hope Bell" she looked him in the eye "I feel it too, but these feelings we have now, won't get us through the next five years" she said. "Clarke knew the risks and she took them anyway" she said. He chortled "that speech she gave me was for this moment" he sighed "she knew I would need it for later." Raven glanced at him "what speech?" she asked. "Something about always being the heart of our little team, but that I would need to use my head too" he muttered "I blew it off, I just knew she would be here with us…" he trailed off. "I never thought she wouldn't be here" he said softly "it just never occurred to me." Raven looked at him "none of us did, well Abby maybe, but the rest of us thought even Clarke would outlive her dumb decisions, hell maybe she has. Unfortunately, it'll be at least five years before we find out" she finished. "So in the meantime, you be the heart, I'll be the head. Together we'll survive"

Bellamy stood up and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and they walked to their rooms "I won't be a member of your harem, Blake" she muttered shaking her head. "So, no friends with benefits?" he joked. "I didn't say that, five years is a long time" she laughed "but hey, maybe you and Echo can get busy…" He rolled his eyes "Good night Raven" he said shoving her into her quarters before entering his.


	3. Chapter 3

After a good night's sleep Bellamy did feel a little better, the pain he felt was still quite intense, but he could not give into the despair that plagued him. He had to cling to the little bit of hope within him that said Clarke's nightblood kicked in and saved her, and that she would find enough food and water to keep her until they could return. He got dressed quickly and opened the door to his quarters. He found Raven standing there "feel better?" she asked. "A little" he shrugged. She knew he was lying, they'd been through too much together, but if faking it for now was how he chose to deal with it, which was okay too. She was doing the same thing. "Its okay to feel the sadness" she told him "just don't give in to the despair, we need you here" she told him. He nodded "I'll work on it" he promised; "now lets get to the dining hall."

They arrived to find Harper and Monty sitting with Echo "Its strange to hear the hum of machines again" Monty said. "Tell me about it" Bellamy agreed. He turned to Echo "did you sleep okay?" he asked her. She nodded "Did you?" she asked him. He shrugged "I did okay" he said. "So what do you think about living in space?" Raven asked her. "Its quite noisy" she said "but the view is amazing." The only view that Bellamy could think about was quite amazing, some might even call it beautiful The bright orange pop of color backing up against a starry, black backdrop of space. In a museum or a book it may be a priceless work of art, but in reality it was a whole lot death and destruction.

The view from this end always had some artsy qualities to it because of the blackened atmosphere. The colors stood out more he supposed, but being on earth for five years, he'd discovered that the more beautiful the view, the more complex and possibly destructive the reality. On the other hand, he could understand Echo's fascination with this side of the view. "I guess you guys are used to this view, huh?" Echo asked. Harper She nodded "we grew up wanting to see the view from the ground up, I guess its all about perspective" she replied. Echo looked at Bellamy and Raven, they seemed to be doing better today. An air of sadness still hung over them, but they were at least functioning.

Emori and Murphy entered the room. He grabbed a couple of MRE's and sat down on the floor, handing one to Emori "So what's the plan today?" he asked Echo hadn't had a lot of interaction with Murphy, so she couldn't tell if he was putting on a air of bravado, as Bellamy and Raven appeared to be doing or if he was simply riding the high tide of being in love, as he and Emori were clearly happy together. Whatever the case he just seemed to roll with the changes, no matter how hard they were or how much they cost. There seemed to be lot of tension between him and the others, but it did not stop them from working together. Monty and Harper were still obviously upset about leaving Clarke, but like Bellamy and Raven they plastered a smile on their face and kept on moving. "Monty, Harper and I got the water figured out and the algae farm started, now we need to work on the communications system. We may be able to tap into the Bunker somehow" Raven answered "maybe even the lab?" Emori asked quietly. Raven shrugged "maybe" she answered, though her voice held a tone of sadness.

Echo watched Emori, who too seemed concerned about Clarke's fate, she'd heard the story of how Clarke had become a nightblood and she supposed that would generate a little loyalty to Clarke, but Emori had grown up on the ground too, where death was a thing, and you accepted it. Perhaps, being in love had changed her too. "Raven you and Monty take the lead on the communication system," Bellamy instructed, "the rest of us will continue exploring the ring to see what else we can scavenge" he looked to the others for confirmation. They all nodded "good lets get on it then" he said "Echo, Harper go east. Emori, Murphy go west, look everywhere, even the junk piles" he instructed. He'd found many valuable things in junk piles "bring everything back here, we'll go through it like we did last night." Echo looked at him "and you?" she asked. He grinned "I had a few hiding places, I'm going to see if anyone discovered them."

They split up and began searching the ship. Bellamy's route took him past the window where the earth burned below. He couldn't stop himself from pausing to look at it "I'm sorry" he spoke softly touching the glass looking through it. He knew he had to get past this. She told him he might have to, that she might be left behind. As usual, she was prepared to do whatever it took for her people to survive, even if it meant sacrificing herself, he would not let that sacrifice be wasted. He prayed that Clarke would be the great Wanheda, that everybody knew her to be, but that was not something he could not control. Surviving up here was. "I'll be the head," he promised before walking past the window. It was a promise he intended to keep, even if it broke his heart in the process.

The first place he stopped was in his family's old quarters. The floor was not the only hiding place in there. To his immense surprise, some of his hiding spots were still intact. He also found some things that reminded him that Clarke was not the only person he cared about in the death and destruction below. He picked up a tattered crocheted goat and looked at it. At least she was safe and protected in an airtight underground bunker; Although he did worry a little bit about her job as head, ruling over thirteen clans of very different people. She may not be the little girl who lived under the floor anymore, but she was still his baby sister. She was another reason he needed to get it together, so they could get back down to earth. "Be strong O," he whispered clinging to tattered animal that had long since been abandoned. He packed the supplies he managed to squirrel away all those years ago in a bag he'd found, hoping they were still good, then jammed animal in his back pocket and exited the room.

He was surprised to learn that many of his hiding spots had not been discovered. That was a good thing as he had squirreled away many MREs and other useful things that he had intended on somehow getting to Octavia in the skybox. As it turned out, it was a good thing he had never been able to do that. It meant that the seven of them could survive.

After searching the last of his known areas, he found himself standing in front of the door to Clarke's childhood home. He'd never been in there, even to clean it. The Griffins were higher on the food chain than his family, hence the nickname 'princess" he donned her with when they arrived on the earth four years ago. Now here they were or at least he was, full circle. How did the other half live he wondered. Maybe it was morbid curiosity or perhaps he just needed to feel close to her, but he found himself inside the rooms that had once belonged to Jake, Clarke and Abby Griffin. It wasn't as grand as he might have thought, though they did have a few more bells and whistles; like a big screen TV, and real furniture. He felt bad rifling through the drawers in this room, it seemed wrong somehow, kind of like grave robbing ' _you need to be the head' he_ heard her voice. Being the head meant rifling through the drawers, so he kept on doing it. The Griffins, well Jake and Clarke, were survivalist, their loyalties didn't necessarily lie in the Ark leadership. He'd found many useful items in the room and added them to his pack. When he opened the last drawer, his eyes landed on a picture of a fair-haired child in the arms of Jake Griffin. They were both laughing. It was clear they loved each other.

Clarke felt the loss of her father everyday; it was the thing that haunted her most. He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill out. Now especially he was ashamed of the way he'd treated Clarke at first, she was definitely not the princess with the charmed life he'd accused her of being. "I'll be the head," he promised again, hoping that he could actually do it. Her sacrifice, his sacrifice was too great for anything else. He sat down on the couch; he needed to get it together before he went back to his people. He looked at the picture in is hands, "please survive," he whispered softly "I don't know if I can do this without you." He felt a hand on his shoulder "you're not alone"

Raven said coming around to sit next to him. He smiled at her "I know" he said, "thank you." She held his hand in hers "I thought I might find you here" she said. "I didn't mean to end up here, I just did" he shrugged. "What did you find?" she asked looking at the picture in his hand. "She loved him so much" Raven sighed. Bellamy nodded "at least if she didn't make it, she's with him now" he said. "She'll make it" Raven looked him in the eye "She has the heart of her father and the stubbornness of her mother. She is a princess, a warrior princess and they don't give up easily" Raven finished,


	4. Chapter 4

Clarke picked herself up off the floor and removed her cracked helmet. Her skin burned and she could feel bulbous pox marks on her face. The journey from the lab to the bunker was a dangerous one, but she would most definitely not survive praimfaya in the lab. The house that once stood on the hill was now just a pile of melted steel and rubble. Too bad Alie or Becca hadn't thought to do a better job of protecting that particular piece of property. She could have ridden out the firestorm in comfort, rather than surviving in this god-forsaken bunker. She'd realized pretty quickly that the nightblood treatment was going to work, she was still scarred and still fought random breathing problems, but she was alive and breathing…and alone, totally. Completely. Alone.

God she missed him, them too, but he was her right arm, her one bright spot on the planet. He supported her, even when he thought she was wrong. And the worst part was they probably didn't even know she had survived. Of course surviving praimfaya was one thing, surviving here alone, for the next five years with very little food or water that would be the real miracle. Hopefully in the process she didn't lose her mind.

She wandered from room to room in the bunker. Things could be worse; she had electricity, a bed to sleep in, running water, though she didn't know how long she would have all of that. Unfortunately Raven and Monty were the mechanics among them and they were a million miles away, safe from the death and destruction that surrounded her. She had food in the form of MRE's, they weren't tasty, but they were filling. Unfortunately, they wouldn't sustain her for longer than a year. Her sacrifice and her loneliness were a small price to pay knowing that her friends were safe, and for once in the last four years, no one died by the choice she had been forced to make, herself included. Hopefully in time, she would be able to get out of the bunker and get back to the forest where she could search the buried cars and underground bunkers they'd found over the last four years.

She raided the house for everything she might want or need before praimfaya finally claimed the structure. Several trips to the lab had given her a large pile of more useful things. There was still more things to retrieve, but she didn't want to push her luck. She wasn't sure how the nightblood actually worked, so she decided to keep the suit handy in case she needed to go back there again. With any luck, the lab would still be there. What she needed most right now was to get out of the radiation suit and into bed. Maybe sleep would help her think more clearly. The big bed in the other room called her name. It also reminded her that she was totally and completely alone. For the first time in four years, Bellamy would not be there to tell her that everything would be okay, or that she was making a bad decision. He wouldn't be there when her brain worked better than her heart and she was about to do something reckless. He may have to work on using his head, but she would have to work on using her heart.

Clarke didn't know how long she slept; it could have been hours or days for all she knew. The concept of time took on a new meaning when you were the one human on the earth. She did feel better. The welts on her body had diminished and they no longer burned. Some of them would fade, but there would be definite scarring in other places, but her heart would hurt forever. The family she made was gone. Bellamy was gone, Raven was gone. Her mother was safe, but for all intense purposes gone. And every one of them thought she was dead.

She sniffed, trying to hold the tears at bay, how was she ever going to survive if the thought of him or them sent her into a fit of crying every time she thought about them, At least if she had died, she would be with her dad right now. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she recalled the last conversation with her father before the guard busted in and arrested him. He called her strong, stubborn, said that was one of the things he love most about her. God she missed him, maybe more than the rest of them. "I am strong, stubborn" she repeated her father's words "I can do this!"

Being strong and stubborn kept her alive in the skybox where she was confined in solitary for a whole year with no human contact. It got her through being dropped to the earth. It got her out of Mount Weather when everyone said it wasn't possible. It got her back to her people. To _him_. She sat up wiping her eyes, _this_ wasn't who she was. She didn't lay down and cry. She was Clarke Griffin. Strong. Stubborn daughter of Jake and Abby Griffin. She was Wanheda, feared by many clans for her slaying of the mountain men.

She would survive this because it was who she was, where she came from. Praimfaya would not beat her. Being alone would not beat her, even if meant telling herself that every moment of every day until she actually believed it. Then, when the time was right, she needed to get out of here, get back to her people and hopefully those on the ring would be there too.

 **A/N A little short for my taste, but I thought this was a good place to end this chapter. More later.**


	5. Chapter 5

Six months had passed since the seven of them had made it to the ring. They had scavenged every square inch of the ring and actually found enough supplies to keep them comfortable for a few years. Algae was growing, so they would not starve. They might not touch the stuff again once they returned to earth, but it was better than starving to death.

Bellamy still stood at the window gazing down at least once every day. The fire had long since gone out and had been replaced by a carpet of gray ashes that covered the earth below. Raven and Monty had gotten some of the communication system operational, but they had zero luck talking to the bunker or the lab. Raven's theory was that praimfaya may have melted anything in its path including the tower on the island, not that they were even sure Clarke had survived.

Bellamy turned from the window and kept walking down the hall to what had become his favorite place on the ship, the Griffin's quarters. He knew he really needed to move on, but his guilt ate at him. He should have made Raven wait for her or stayed behind with her. Raven had told him time and again that he needed to put those thoughts away "use your head Bell" she reminded him, paraphrasing Clarke's words. He knew that she was right, but as usual his heart overrode his head in that matter.

Raven sat down beside him "I knew I'd find you here" she said looking at him. She too, spent a lot of time in this room. Boredom had set in for the seven of them. There was very little to do on the ring, leaving them with too much time to think. "You know we could probably get this TV working and actually watch movies in here" Raven looked at him, Bellamy shook his head "I don't want to share this place" he disagreed. The others knew where he went when he disappeared for hours at a time, but none of them followed him. "So, we move the TV then" Raven countered.

He shrugged, but did not respond. She sighed "Bell" she said softly turning his chin to face her "I know that you miss her" she said "but we have four and a half more years before we get off this boat" she reminded him. "You cant sit here everyday, you'll drive yourself crazy." Bellamy had become the leader Clarke knew he had to be. He delegated and pulled his weight as needed, but he didn't engage emotionally with any of them, except Raven who didn't allow him to push her away. He sighed and blinked back the tears that threatened to spill out "I don't want to forget her" he spoke softly. Raven snorted "like that would ever happen" she scoffed.

She knew that he had started keeping a journal of all the things they did and saw, although he would deny it to anyone that asked. He sighed heavily and sat back, "okay" he said. "Okay. What?" she asked. "get the TV working , maybe we can find some old vids" he replied. "Are we moving the TV?" she asked. He shook his head "this room is the only room big enough for all of us to sit in together other than the dining hall" he clarified. She took his hand in hers "I wont let you forget her" she promised "I know how you feel about her." He shook his head "a fat lot of good that does me here when she is down there, if she even survived" he scoffed. Raven smiled at him gently "those feelings won't go away Bell" she assured him. "some days I think it would be better if they did" he sighed. "you don't mean that" Raven countered. He shook his head "no, I don't mean that" he agreed.

A breathless Harper appeared in the doorway "Bellamy, Raven come quickly to the communication room. We've managed to contact the bunker" she leaned against the door trying to catch her breath. Bellamy turned "O?" he asked offering what passed for a smile for the first time in months. "waiting to talk to her big brother, so hurry" Harper urged. Bellamy jumped up off the couch and followed her out, followed closely by Raven.

The others were hunkered around the radio talking to Octavia. To Bellamy, the sound of his sister's voice was the sweetest thing he'd heard in six months. "O" he breathed into the mic, which he snatched out of Monty's hand. "Bell" she sighed "I didn't know if you made it or not" she said. Bellamy heard the relief in her voice. "most of us made it" he said taking the seat Monty had vacated. "most of us?" she asked "someone was left behind?" Bellamy dropped his head "Bell!" she demanded loudly when he didn't answer.

Raven took the mic from him "yes, we had trouble launching the rocket, so someone had to manually set the device" she answered. "Clarke" Octavia guess correctly. "Yeah" Raven replied softly. They heard a sob in the background, then Abby's voice came over the radio "the nightblood didn't work?" she asked sniffling. "We don't know" Raven sighed "we haven't been able to make contact with the lab" she replied. "I'm sorry Abby, we had no choice. Someone had to stay behind and Clarke insisted that if anyone had a chance of surviving…" she trailed off. "It was her" Abby finished "my strong-willed, stubborn daughter, always putting everyone else's safety before her own" she said.

They all heard the tears she was trying to hold at bay. "I'm sorry Abby" Bellamy took the mic back "I offered to stay, but she wouldn't hear of it." Abby sniffed "Its okay Bellamy, If I know my daughter you would have lost that battle anyway" she said softly. Raven took his free hand in hers. "who is with you?" Abby asked. "Monty, Harper, Murphy, Emori and Echo" he answered. "and you're all okay?" she asked. He nodded "yeah, were fine. We have algae, water, MRE's and we managed to scavenge enough from the ring to survive for a few years" he told her. "You guys take care of each other" she said. They looked to each other "we will" he told her. Octavia's voice came back on the radio "Are you okay Bell?" she asked, concern etched in her voice. "I'm dealing" he said softly "its good to hear your voice O?" he sighed. "yours too" she said "I love you big brother" she whispered. "I love you O" he returned "Are you doing okay?" he asked. She chortled "I'm learning to appreciate you and Clarke a little more" she said "being in charge sucks!" He laughed "yeah it does" he agreed softly "but you can handle it."

They heard a sigh "I guess we'll see" she said. "Bellamy" Marcus Kane's voice came over the radio "sir" he responded. "The ring was a good idea" he praised "yours?" he asked. Bellamy took a deep breath "no, it was Clarke's idea" he spoke softly, sadness creeping into his voice. There was silence on the other end. Raven took the mic from Bellamy "Are there any resources on the ring that we might have missed?" she asked when he didn't come back to them. "By now I imagine you and Monty have already found them" he answered "but just in case, check the air vents and tunnels for any hidden rations or supplies" he told them. She smiled "yeah, we found all of them already" she grinned, "but thanks for that." They heard him chuckle, "I'm sure between the two of you and Bellamy no stone has been left unturned" he said. "you guys take care of each other" he told them. "We will, you take care of Abby" she told him. "I will" he promised.

Octavia came back on the radio "Bell are you still there?" she asked. Raven handed the mic to him "I'm here" he said "can I talk to you alone?" she asked. The others nodded and walked out of the room. "I'm alone now, what's up?" he asked. "Are you really okay?" she asked. "I don't know O" he admitted, "I should have stayed with her." She heard the sadness in his voice "then she would have had to watch you die" Octavia pointed out. "We don't even know if she survived" he said his voice cracking "I should have stayed with her" he repeated.

Octavia heard the tears she knew he was holding back. She wished she was there with him, to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay "No Bell, you did the right thing" she said. He was silent again "Bell?" she asked wondering if she lost the connection "I'm here" he said. "There is a chance she survived" she told him "you have to hold on to that hope." He sighed "That's what Raven keeps telling me. Its hard, but I'm trying" he said. "Bell you know Echo was banished right?" she asked. He nodded "she saved us in the forest O" he said " we never would have made it to the island without her. I'm not saying I completely trust her, but she is one of us now."

Octavia had a hard time believing that, but if it was true that she saved them in the forest…"Saving her that was Clarke, right?" she asked. He scoffed "of course, you know Clarke, leave no one behind" he answered. "Except herself" Octavia snorted. "Nobody ever accused her of making great decisions" he scoffed. "Except maybe one" Octavia countered "she cared about you, enough to send you into space, knowing she might not survive. Remind me to thank her one day" she spoke softly. "Lets hope you get that chance" Bellamy replied. There was a pause "Oh crap, I gotta go Bell, another fight. I love you" she said. He laughed "I love you too. Go be the boss, we'll talk again" he said.

He dropped the mic on the counter "All clear?" Raven asked. He nodded. "Do you feel better?" she asked. "A little" he shrugged. Talking to Octavia helped, but he already knew she was safe, Clarke's fate was still unknown. He didn't know if that hurt would ever heal, not until he knew her fate one way or the other. "Come on Bell, lets get some food, then we'll see if we can get the TV working" Raven pulled him to his feet and walked out with him.

Echo was standing in the doorway "I know Octavia told you I was banished" she said looking worried. He glanced at her "A lot of things have happened between you and me and my sister" he told her "but you are one of us now, and I will protect you like I would any of them" he pointed to the others who stood in the hall. "we're all skaikru now." Murphy snorted "who would have thought we'd be back here again?" he scoffed "and with grounders?" he finished earning a dirty look from Emori. Bellamy chuckled "More remarks like that and you might find yourself sleeping on the floor" he chortled. Emori grinned at him "it's a distinct possibility" she agreed throwing Bellamy a grateful look.

Bellamy shook his head "there is no skaikru and no grounders, we are a team. We live together, we survive together, we get back home together" he said "and with any luck, Clarke will be waiting for us when we do." Monty held up the MRE in his hands "here, here" he said "now lets eat and go fix that TV. We may exist on algae and MRE's, but we're going to die of boredom!" The others laughed, except for Bellamy, who managed to smile slightly "sounds like a plan to me" he said.


	6. Chapter 6

According to the calendar Clarke had created on the wall, six months had passed since praimfaya destroyed everything around her. Six months since she had seen or talked to a living soul. Luckily, the nightblood she'd injected herself with had not only kept her alive, but allowed her to wander out of the bunker every once in a while.

The once green forest had been reduced to ash. The river had a thick coat of ash over the top of it. While being outside was nice, it also reminded her that she was alone. Yes, she had the bunker, including electricity and running water, though she dared not drink it. She had a comfortable bed and several rooms to wander through, but the loneliness that plagued her was almost too much to bear. She desperately wanted to be the strong willed , stubborn young woman who had survived solitary confinement for a whole year, but even then she saw someone at least once a day.

Worst of all she missed him. Every minute she spent alone on this ash covered island reminded her of all the moments they'd had together. He was her best friend, her staunch protector even when he could barely stand to look at her because of whatever stupid thing she done most recently, he was always there for her, beside her. Now, he most likely didn't know if she was alive or dead; none of them did. Not that it mattered if they did , it wasn't like any of them could do anything.

Bellamy and the rest of her friends on the ring couldn't come back down for at least another four and a half years. The bunker in Polis couldn't be opened. And to make things worse, the meager resources she managed to find would not last longer than six months. She's sent everything else with Bellamy and company to the ring so they would survive in case the nightblood treatment failed. There was no sense in wasting rations on a dead person. _"Dammit Clarke, snap out of it"_ Bellamy's voice ran headlong through her dangerous and depressing thoughts. She stood up and paced around the room, but that didn't really help her much. It was times like this that she was grateful for her ability to go outside. Even though the area around her was as sad and depressing as her reality, at least the walls couldn't close in on her.

Forsaking the radiation suit, she opened the bunker door and walked out into the day. A rare beam of light shone through the grey sky, still thick with remnants of ash and soot. The rare treat was just what he sour mood needed. It was almost as if Bellamy could hear her little rant about how helpless she was and was somehow smiling down on her.

She walked toward the beach where the water lapped onto the shore. How she wished she could sit in it, splash around like she did with Finn when they first came to earth four years ago; but not knowing the limits of her nightblood status, she thought better of that idea. Instead she allowed herself to sit on the edge of the water, looking down into it. God, her hair was a mess and she had lost a lot of weight trying to ration the meager supplies she allowed herself to keep. Perhaps it was time for trip to the lab to see what else might be squirreled away in there.

She had to survive, had to be here when they came back down from the safety of the ring; which meant she needed to be the fearless and feared leader that everyone already thought her to be. Actually, she needed to be more than that person. She had to learn how to be more since the people she relied on for mechanical knowledge were literally light years away, she also needed to be that person too. She needed to get out of that bunker surrounded by walls and creature comforts that held her hostage and kept her from seeing what was right in front of her.

Clarke looked determinedly at the expansive river. The first thing she would do is move out of the bunker and into the lab. She was still underground, but she could at least see the rest of the world and her oasis was only a stairway up. It didn't take long for her to pack up the few things she was going to take with her to the lab.. If she needed anything else, the bunker wasn't that far away. Emerging from the bunker with a full backpack and box of MRE's she marched toward the lab, which had mercifully withstood praimfaya. Too bad the house hadn't, it would have been a better solution. Unfortunately the once beautiful, spacious house had been reduced to pile of rubble and melted steel. Once inside the lab, Clarke was faced with a wave of emotions, remembering the last time she seen Bellamy. The last things she'd heard him say. She wondered if she did the right thing, making him choose to save themselves and not her. She wondered if he had been able to forgive himself, especially since he was probably unaware that she had survived.

Blinking back tears, she walked into the office on the top level of the lab and dropped her backpack and box. The couch in here would be good enough for her to sleep on. She left the office and leaned against the rail looking down into the lab. The machines hummed, though the screens had long since lost their views. Her eyes landed on the closed doors where the rocket once rested. The hangar now empty represented the fact that hopefully her friends had made it to safety. The way she figured, she had six months of supplies and rations. That meant she had six months to figure out how to rig a portable communication tower and build a boat that would take her back to the ark, to the drop ship, and the surrounding woods surely she could raid the buried cars and underground bunkers for more supplies to keep her going. Perhaps, she could even find some weapons in the place she and Bellamy discovered all those years ago. Maybe, just maybe she would be lucky enough to find others, who like her were huddled alone in bunkers, desperate to know that they were not the last person on earth, destined to die alone.


	7. Chapter 7

Moving from the bunker to the lab was the best option for Clarke. She felt less closed in, more hopeful. It helped that she felt the presence of her friends here. She fed off the memories established here, inspiring her to try harder at the same time, it also reminded her of the people she missed the most. Being alive, being here was a real catch 22. She'd survived, but for what., to die alone? It was in moments like this she still used the bunker. The bunker bore no memories of her friends. whenever the memories became too much, she would close the door and pass out on the big bed in the bedroom. If she was really lucky, she would get some much-needed sleep. If not, she would see him in her dreams, see them. The reason she was here by herself. They lived because of her sacrifice, or at least she hoped they did.

The time she did spend in the lab was fast becoming very productive. A little deep searching in the lab had uncovered some old plans on building a portable communication tower and much to her surprise she had good success finding an assembling the pieces. She planned on testing it as soon as she got the chance, hopefully she would be able to reach the ring or the bunker. If she got really lucky she would get to talk to Bellamy. An even better stroke of luck came when she'd managed to forge together a good sized raft from the ruins of the steel beams of the house, it wasn't the prettiest thing, and it would probably only get her across the water once and not back, but she didn't need to come back. She hoped,

***Day 366***

Clarke put on the radiation suit, it was one less thing she would have to carry. She left the helmet. Even if it wasn't cracked and worthless, she didn't need it anymore anyway. The lab had pretty much been stripped of anything useful that she could carry. The few MRE's she had remaining were stashed in her backpack, along with a spear, and constructed a working, albeit homemade looking, bow and arrow that would feed her and protect her against anyone or anything that might have survived like she had. She'd pieced together a tent, hand stitching it, it wasn't pretty, but it offered protection from the elements and other crawling things until she could get to any buried cars or underground bunkers that remained intact. She hoped the drop ship had somehow escaped destruction, but she wasn't holding her breath. She'd gotten all she could off the island, used every scrap of useable material. If she wanted to survive the next four years, she'd have to go back to the woods of Arkadia and Trikru and hope that something, someone had survived praimfaya.

Only one thing remained. She needed to try to get a message to Bellamy, to the bunker in polis and hope her first attempt at establishing a portable communication system actually worked. The soot and ash had started to clear, so the sun peaked through the grey sky more and more; just in case, she left a message in the lab, where they would find it if they every did come back to look for her. Of course it would be many years yet before it was safe for any of them to come down from the sky or out of the bunker in polis. She could be dead by the time that happened for all she knew. Positioning the handheld tower in the sun, she adjusted the trajectory of the dish to feed off the beam of sun.

She wired the hand held radio to the dish, hoping the signal would somehow be strong enough for it to transmit.

 _"Bellamy, mom"_ she spoke into the mic _"I don't know if you can hear me, but just in case…"_ she sighed. _"It's been one year since praimfaya destroyed the world as we knew it. One year since I have seen or heard anything from anyone. The bunker and the lab have served me well. I've even managed to become a little tech savvy"_ she laughed _"but tell Raven not to worry, I think her job is still safe. I don't even know if this is reaching anyone, but if it is, I want you to know that I'm alive. I survived praimfaya. I survived being alone for a whole year, but if I don't get off this island, I'll wont make it another year. So, I'm leaving. Heading to Arkadia, to the drop ship, to the woods of Mount Weather. With any luck some of the old hiding places have survived and I can get what I need from them."_

She bowed her head, blinked back the tears that threatened to spill out . Taking a deep breath, she began to speak again _"I miss you both. I miss all of you"_ her voice cracked a little _"I hope I didn't do all this to lose you or for you to lose me anyway"_ she continued. _"I know it isn't safe for you to come out, even if you are hearing this, but its safe for me. The nightblood treatment worked. I have been okay for most of this past year. Its what has kept me sane. I didn't have to be locked up in some godforsaken bunker, didn't need oxygen or radiation suits. But, I do need you. All of you, so please don't try to come for me before its safe"_ she sighed _"I will be okay, but only if I get off the island. I love you all"_ she sniffed _"don't forget that."_

Wiping the tears off her cheeks, she detached the handheld radio, stashed it in her pack, slung the dish over her shoulder and boarded the raft. With any luck at all, they heard that message. She was going home, for the first time in a year to see what, if anything had withstood the raging anger of praimfaya. If it didn't, she would be hard pressed to survive the next four years.

Bellamy paced in the lab, tears flowing down his cheeks, she made it. She was alive, and alone, but she was alive. He somehow managed to find the right button to record her message. He tried to call back to her, but either she disconnected or the signal was too weak for a two-way conversation, but all that didn't really matter. She was alive and for the moment that was enough for him. He wondered it they had heard the message in the bunker at polis. He needed to talk to his sister, but it wasn't time for their conversation yet. "RAVEN, get in here" he hollered as loud as he could, not wanting to leave for fear the message would somehow go away. "Raven" he called again.

She raced in as fast as her bum leg would allow her "hold your horses, I'm coming" she muttered. She entered the room followed closely by the others. He raced toward her, picked her up and spun her in his arms "she's alive, she's okay" he whispered tearfully, placing her back on her feet. "how do you know this?" she asked not needing to ask who he was talking about. He dragged her to the communication system and pressed the replay button, hoping he had recorded it correctly. When her voice came over the air he sighed. Raven snorted "how the hell did she manage to figure that out?" she grinned. "Of course she made it" Murphy drawled "our little princess always was tougher than she looked" he smiled as he spoke. Harper hugged Monty. Emori looped arm around Murphy. Echo stood in the back "She really can outlast anything" she murmured "Roan always said that about her" she shook he head "the great Wanheda, a force to be reckoned with, even on her worst day."


	8. Chapter 8

Later that night, Bellamy felt lighter than he had in the last year. He had tried to sit still, but the energy flowing through him was too powerful. Clarke was alive. He didn't kill her when he'd made the decision to leave without her. He hated that she was alone, but she was alive and that was all the really mattered. He could barely make himself sit down when Octavia radioed him a few hours later. "Hey O" he greeted her "how is the bunker?" he asked. "Blessedly quiet" she sighed "I don't know how you and Clarke ever did it" she laughed. "We resisted the urge to kill you all a lot" he shook his head. "well thank you for that" she chortled. "You're sounding very chipper today" she said. He sounded happier than he had in a long time. "You guys didn't get a transmission earlier?" he asked. Octavia furrowed her brow "nooo" she drawled "should we have?" He laughed, another sound she hadn't heard in a very long time. "Go get Abby, she'll want to hear this, too" he told his sister. "Okay" she agreed intrigued.

A few minutes later she returned with Abby "Okay Bell, we're here, what's going on?" she asked him. "just listen" he replied and pressed the play button on Clarke's message. He held the mic over the speaker so they could hear her message. When it ended, he lifted his finger off the button so they could reply. "She's alive" he heard Abby mutter tearfully "Oh thank God" Octavia laughed "and apparently learning new things" she chortled. "Raven was impressed" Bellamy agreed. "All she has to do now is survive four more years" Octavia murmured. He grinned "once she gets back home, she should be able to find a lot of hiding places, and if the ark survived praimfaya, there's a gold mine there" he said. "I'm just glad she is okay" Bellamy sighed "I thought I had…" he trailed off. No matter how many times he'd been told Clarke's fate was not on him, he couldn't bring himself to believe that. "Clarke's a big girl Bellamy" she reminded him "with a mind of her own as you well know. So stop blaming yourself for her choices" Abby reprimanded him. He laughed "its easier to believe that now that I know she is okay" he replied.

Clarke decided rather quickly that Raven would not have to fear for her job as long as she was around. She wasn't sure if the radio transmission actually got to anybody, but she hoped it had. The raft she created managed to get her to the other side of the river, but it definitely would not get her back. An engineer, mechanical or otherwise, she would never be, but now that she was back in an area that she recognized she had a little more hope.

Praimfaya had definitely left its mark on this region of the countryside. The once luscious tree line was barren with soot and ash everywhere. At least she would be safe from any unseen threats in the trees, unlike the last time they'd been through here. She had that much going for her. There were no trees left to hide in, so if anybody survived and wanted to confront her, they'd have to do it face to face. She was ready with her homemade weapons, but she hoped that the basin she and Bellamy had found a few years ago had another surprise or two in the form of guns and ammo. Those she would definitely feel more comfortable with. She came to a clearing and decided to stop for the night. Navigating the river had worn her out and Arkadia was still about six hours away. There was a stream not far away, she could probably find and boil some water to drink, then eat a little bit. Hopefully something at Arkadia had withstood praimfaya and she could either load up on supplies or bunker there for a while. But she wouldn't know that until she got there.

The after effects of praimfaya kept the area very heated and there was the faintest of breeze, so rather than open the tent and sleep in it, Clarke merely laid it out on the ground. IF she managed to fall asleep, she would sleep on it. She hadn't seen a single living thing on her journey from the island, so she had a hard time believing anything or anyone had actually survived that she needed to fear, but you never know; and she didn't survive praimfaya to be murdered in her sleep. Her first order of business was to try to find something that wasn't already burned to start a fire so she could boil water. She had some in a few canteens, but if she could keep those until she wasn't near a water source that would be better for her. Clarke took her pack with her, as well as he weapons. She came upon the small stream she'd heard earlier. The water was clear and cold. It didn't have a lot of ash and soot in it, but Clarke didn't trust that it was not somehow contaminated. Filling one of the empty canteens she brought with her, she slung it over her shoulder. She would take it back to her campsite and boil it. She hadn't seen any tracks or heard anything, so dinner tonight would be whatever MRE she picked out of her pack.

Clarke arrived back at her campsite and sat down on her tent. A tree to lean on would have been nice, but praimfaya had ravaged everything in its site. Using her spear she dug through the soot and ash on the ground, managing to gather enough twigs to start a small fire with the emergency matches she took from the bunker on the island to boil her water. Once the water was cooled down enough, she took a small sip to test it. It didn't taste bad and she didn't have any after effects fifteen minutes later. She made a note to go back to the stream in the morning and get some more water in case she needed some later. But for now, she was worn out. She laid down on her tent, for the first time in a year hoping she was alone, so she could get a good night's sleep.

From the window overlooking the earth Bellamy sat and watched below. For once the view didn't depress him. Somewhere down there, under all that soot and ash was Clarke, alive and well, albeit lonely and in danger of surviving if she could not find rations; but she survived praimfaya, so to him that meant she could survive anything. Raven walked up behind him "how did I know I'd find you here?" she asked. "Did you ever think you would hear from her again?" he asked her. She snorted "Well, I was beginning to lose hope" she admitted "but I should have known better than to underestimate Clarke Griffin."

He nodded in agreement "yeah me too" he sighed "but the island was the easy part, who knows who or what survived in the woods of Arkadia" he said, his face showing his concern for Clarke. "Hopefully, she can make it to the ark. There are guns, ammo and supplies there she could use. Maybe part of it will even be livable" Raven told him sliding down next to him. "we can hope" he sighed and leaned against the wall. "Did they get the transmission in the bunker?" she asked him. She knew he'd talked to Octavia earlier. Ever since they'd established radio contact with the bunker, he talked to Octavia at least once a week, sometimes more. "They didn't get it, but I played it for her and Abby" he answered. "She cried didn't she?" Raven laughed. "yeah she did" he chuckled.

She sensed a change in his mood "Is she going to survive then next four years?" he spoke softly. Raven took his hand in hers "Bellamy, she survived a fire that destroyed the whole planet. Look at that view" she pointed out the window "have you ever seen the earth like that from this view before?" she asked. He shook his head "no" he answered. "Yes, the woods around Arkadia are not going to be as secure as the island, but if a nuclear fire can't take her out, do you see anything or anyone else doing that?" she asked him. He shook his head "I guess not" he said "I just worry about her." She smiled at him "you just need to sleep" she told him "you'll feel better in the morning."

She knew for a fact he hadn't been sleeping well. Her room was next to his, she heard him pacing at night. "yes mom" he scowled at her. She laughed at him "I'm glad she's okay too" she said resting her head on his shoulder. He slung an arm over her shoulder and held her close to him. "maybe we both can" he sighed "I hear you not sleeping too. You're just better at hiding it than me." She grinned "I'm the head. I'm supposed to be better at hiding it than you" she pointed out. He grinned "so I guess I'm a guy with two heads again?" he asked. She snorted "weren't you always?" He laughed "never" he denied. "Whatever" she scoffed. "I'm tired" he confessed. "So go to bed" she pushed at him. "that means moving" he sighed. "who says we have to move?" she said wrapping her arm around him. He laid his head against the steel of the ring and closed his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Clarke stirred, happy to find all of her stuff still next to her, not that she thought anybody had survived to bother her, but she had learned not to underestimate anybody on the ground. She yawned and stretched. One thing about the island she would miss was the big comfortable bed. She sat up and arched her back. She needed to get some place where there was a bed. She hadn't slept on the ground much in the last three years, and now she remembered why, the ground hurt. The sun shone down on her. She shed the radiation suit, it was going to be too hot to wear it and she definitely wasn't going to carry it. Another trip down to the stream filled two canteens. She boiled that water, then packed everything up and walked through the soot and ash toward Arkadia. Tonight, with any luck at all, she would be sleeping on something more comfortable than the ground. Hopefully she would also be able to refill her dwindling supplies.

Bellamy woke up and ran his hands and grabbed his neck with his hands, squeezing it gently. He had a perfectly good bed. Correction, they had perfectly good beds, he grinned down at Raven, whose head rested on his lap, but neither of them wanted to leave the window. For once, it represented something besides death, and for just a little while, they wanted to savor it. Raven groaned "I haven't slept on a metal floor in so long" she said groggily sitting up "thanks for being my pillow" she grinned at him. He laughed "anytime" he rolled his eyes.

He stood up and held out his hand to her. She grabbed it and allowed him to pull her up. They stood in the window "does it look a little clearer to you?" he asked her "I mean you are the head, right you should know." She shook her head "yeah, I think it does" she spoke softly "now come on", she took his hand in hers and tugged him "I'm starving." Bellamy grinned and followed her to the dining hall. "Did you two sleep well?"

Echo asked arching her eyebrows. He looked at her "like a baby for the first time in a very long time" he said. They barely spoke, and with their history, they would probably never be as good of friends as he and Raven were, but she was happy that he was happy, and it was because of Clarke. The two of them had a connection on a very deep level. She didn't know if that connection was a romantic kind of love or something else, but whatever it was, it was clear to her that nothing and nobody would come between them, not even praimfaya.

Monty and Harper walked in "do you think Clarke will try to radio us again today?" she asked. Bellamy shrugged "my guess is she would've camped overnight after crossing the river and set out at first light. It's a six hour journey by rover from the river to Arkadia, so it would be at least an eight hour walk. She could be there by nightfall, but more likely, she'll stop in the middle and camp out overnight again, and get there in the morning. Raven snorted "wrong, she'll walk until she drops if it means getting there by nightfall" she countered. "that sounds more like Clarke" Monty agreed "and with no one there to talk her out of it…" Bellamy sighed, Monty was probably right, Clarke could be stubborn to the point of no return. She really needed someone to make sure she didn't do something dumb. Too bad he couldn't return to earth to help her.

Clarke looked around, she had the distinct feeling that she was being watched, but she couldn't see anyone. There were no trees for anybody to be hiding in, and the ash and soot was not deep enough to hide anyone. Shrugging Clarke walked on, he spear clutched in her hand. If anybody came at her, they would definitely regret it. She'd walked what felt like hours, but the sun had barely changed position, so she knew he hadn't been walking that far or that long. The landscape, despite being treeless was beginning to become more familiar. She knew there was an underground bunker between here and the ark. She hoped the ash and soot hadn't buried it so badly that she could not find it. If she could find it tonight, that would be her camp for the night.

The sun shone directly over her head which meant it was about time to stop for a bite to eat. At this rate, she would burn through her remaining MREs quickly, too quickly. She needed to find that bunker soon and hope that someone had stashed some usable food in there. She stopped long enough to eat and sip some water, then resumed walking again. Holding the bottom of her spear, just below the arrow and used the rounded edge of the weapon to tap the ground below listening for any hollow sounds. She walked for hours, the sun started to set. She knew she should find a place to camp, but she desperately wanted to get to Arkadia before nightfall. She wasn't sure she could sleep one more night on the ground. _"don't be a fool Clarke"_ Bellamy's voice rang in her head. She sighed She really did need to rest, besides her feet and back hurt something awful. Sleeping on the forest floor wouldn't help that much, but sleeping would help her. So, despite her wishes to get to Arkadia by nightfall, she once again laid out her tent and fell asleep the second she was on her back.

Bellamy fell asleep in the lab this time, hoping that Clarke would try to contact them again, but the radio was silent all night. If he knew her as well as he thought he did, it would be days before she tried to contact them again. "Go to bed" Raven walked into the lab, hands on her hips. "I will if you will" he retorted. Murphy walked in behind them "both of you go to bed" he ordered "Emori and I will stay here. If Clarke contacts us, we'll let you know." Bellamy snorted "well I guess he told us" he said. Raven grinned "I guess so" she agreed. "Come on" she tugged him to his feet "lets get some sleep, in a bed for a change" she said leading him out the door. Bellamy followed without protest.

"do you think they're together?" Emori asked him. Murphy snorted "sometime in the next four years, there might be benefits to their friendship, but Bellamy is in love with Clarke, has been for years. He just cant bring himself to admit it" he said. "Does she love him, too?" she asked. "yeah, but neither of them can bring themselves to admit it, so they have flings with other people" he answered. "Did you do that?" she asked him. He smiled at her and drew her close "I fueled my frustration by being angry and uncontrollable" he said "I didn't believe in love. I grew up here" he said. "Until me" she grinned wrapping her arms around him. "Until you" he agreed kissing her softly.

"Get a room" Echo walked in the lab. Everywhere she went on the ship somebody was kissing or hugging someone else. She was grateful to Bellamy for keeping her from killing herself, but being the odd one out of the three couples was just odd. Not that she thought Raven and Bellamy were together, but they were definitely attached at the hip. "any word from Clarke?" she asked. "not so far" Emori answered. "Do you think she'll survive four more years?" she asked. Echo snorted "well, she survived praimfaya.

"Murphy grinned "don't take her princess attitude and crying spells into account; Underneath all that is the heart and will of a warrior." His words sounded mean, but his tone was something entirely different. He and Clarke Griffin spent a lot of time on the opposite sides of most issues, but he never doubted her loyalty to her people or her ability to survive whatever life threw at her. "She'll survive, she always does." Echo nodded in agreement "Roan always said she was never someone you wanted to underestimate, I guess he was right, seeing as she outlived him" she said. Even though he had banished her, causing her to be the standout that she currently was, she was still fiercely loyal to him. Like Clarke, he was loyal to his people, even if it meant dying to let them live; At the same time, he was a strong warrior, who did what it took to preserve his own life.

Clarke woke up the next morning, still feeling as though she was being watched, but there were no footprints or tracks and still no trees for anyone to hide in. If anyone had survive, they had to be nightblood also and very adept at keeping a low profile. A part of her hoped someone had survived. She also hoped they were as friendly and desperate as she was to not be alone any longer. Like yesterday, she packed up her belongings and started down the trail, rapping the rounded edge of her spear on the ground, hoping to find the bunker she knew to be near her. The faintest of echoes came a little ways into her walk. She stopped in her tracks and rapped the spear again cocking her head. T

here it was again. She slung the spear around her shoulder and stooped down to start clearing the soot and ash. Suddenly she stopped, she began to notice a pattern. The soot and ash had been cleared before, but was carefully reset to conceal the bunker. Someone else had survived praimfaya, someone with nightblood since they were out walking around like she was. Clarke stood up "Hello" she called out in English "I know someone is here, I'm not going to hurt you, please come out." Clarke turned her head to look in all directions. There was no movement, no sounds. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Instantly aware she turned around and looked into the very blue eyes of a certain king.


	10. Chapter 10

Clarke couldn't believe her eyes. She had it on good authority that he had perished in the battle for the bunker. "Apparently, even praimfaya bows down to the great Wanheda" he smirked at her. "Apparently I'm not the only one it bows down to" she shot back "though I had it on good authority that you lost in the battle of the bunker" she arched her eyebrows at him. "not so good authority it would seem" he mused "why are you not there?" he asked her. "that's a long story" she sighed. "by my calculations we have nothing but time" he said crossing his arms over his chest looking at her smugly.

"How are you a nightblood?" she asked him. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours" he looked at her. She sighed "Fine, but tell me while we explore this bunker" she said. "There's nothing there. I already checked" he said. "Damn" she looked up "I was counting on stuff still being here." He looked at her, she looked different, older somehow and her hair had been cut. "I know where there are supplies and it is relatively close" he told her. "The ark is still standing?" she asked incredulously. "for the most part, but it is not a pretty place to be" he told her.

King Roan of Azgeda, wasn't always her favorite person, but after a year of thinking she was completely and totally alone she was glad to see him. "what do you say? Shall we head to the next place?" he asked her. She grinned and started walking "unless you have a better idea…" she said. He fell into step beside her. "Are you alone?" he asked. She nodded "that's part of the story" she said "and it's quite the tale."

As they walked, she told him what happened and why she was alone in the forest. "So, Echo is in space?" he seemed to be amused by that particular piece of her story. "she saved our lives" Clarke pointed out 'without her, none of us would have made it to the island or the ring." He glanced at her "and yet you got left behind" he pointed out. "someone had to get the rocket to launch, that someone was going to left. I was the obvious choice" she argued. "self-appointed, I assume" he looked to her for confirmation. "Bellamy wasn't a fan of the plan" she admitted "but he would have died had he stayed. "and you couldn't have that, could you?" Roan scoffed. "He's my best friend" she defended "I needed him to be alive, even if I wasn't."

Roan knew the two of them were close, closer than even they were willing to admit. "you must miss him a lot" he murmured "I do" she said softly "but now thanks to Luna and Raven, I will see him again, just not for four more years. Your turn." She turned to him expectantly. "I played dead long enough to watch Luna die and Octavia take the tokens, then I took a page out of your book and helped myself to some of her bone marrow" he shrugged "She wasn't using it anymore" he pointed out. Clarke laughed "no, I guess she wasn't" she agreed. "how did you know what to do" she asked. He looked down at her "from watching you" he said.

"So, technically you owe me then, huh?" she smiled at him. He chose to ignore that remark. They walked in silence for a while before Clarke looked up at him "For what its worth, I'm glad to see you" she looked at him "I was getting tired of being the last human standing." He snorted "I know the feeling" he agreed with her.

Clarke stopped suddenly when the ark came into view. She couldn't believe her eyes, it was largely intact. It had taken on some damage, but the ship was standing tall against the ash grey sky. The ark wasn't always happy place for her to be, but seeing it now after all she'd been through, sparked a new sense of hope in her.

They could stay here and potentially have a home for the next four years; A place where they would be safe from exterior elements. Roan saw the glow in her eyes "don't get too excited, you haven't seen the inside yet" he told her. She wasn't really sure she wanted to judging by Monty's last account of what had happened. So many of her friends, including Jasper had willingly succumbed to the belief that death was coming for them; so they made the decision to take their own lives rather than fight to live. She wondered if their bodies had disintegrated, or just wasted away? Would it smell like death? Would there be bones scattered like the 300 warriors at the drop ship when Clarke ignited the rocket? "This could save us" she shrugged "besides many of my friends died in her, willingly. I need to see it" she said. Roan shook his head "how did I know you would say that?" he mused "come one, but be warned it's quite ugly" he sighed.

Clarke paused before entering the gates. Roan stopped and waited for her "okay, I'm ready" she looked up to him. He pushed open the gates. Clarke gasped at the sight before her. There were piles of charred skeletal remains, clearly someone, probably Roan had already began the process of cleaning up the yard "your doing?" she asked. He bobbed his head "I needed a place to stay, and was not going to walk over bodies getting in and out of here" he shrugged. She could see he had taken the time to carefully pile the bones in a mass grave "Thank you" she said, touched by his gesture. He shrugged "praimfaya is the great equalizer" he said "my war was with it, not your people." There was absolutely nothing salvageable from the outside of the ark. "Did you fix the gate too?" she asked. He nodded "I wasn't sure if or what may have survived praimfaya, but I wanted to be certain I was safe from any threat" he explained. The inside was better than the outside, but still a huge mess. The first thirty feet or so had taken some damage, but the deeper they got into the ark, the less damage there seemed to be.

Clarke saw the partitioned area ahead, this was where Jasper and the people who followed him had lived…and died. Their fight was over before praimfaya began, so in a twisted sort of way they were the lucky ones. They didn't see the raging fire coming for them as she had. They didn't watch it consume every inch of what it touched. Some would argue that they took the cowards way out, and on some level they would be right; but choosing not to fight is often as powerful as choosing to fight.

This particular area had been sealed off from the inside, it looked positively untouched, at least physically. To Clarke, who knew what had transpired in this room, it felt like a graveyard. This very room that could well be a shelter for her, was where her people, her friends, her fellow prisoners had willingly sacrificed their own lives. To her, the room was an ode to hopelessness, and that feeling penetrated every square foot of this room. Clarke turned and walked wordlessly away from the room. Roan watched her leave. This was not the Wanheda, he was used to seeing. "are you okay?" he asked her. She nodded "I almost lost hope once" she spoke softly "on the island. I was ready to give up, to give in" she sighed, dropping her face into her hands "being here, seeing this reminded me of that feeling" she said. After a few minutes she looked up at him "I can't feel that way again" she looked up at him "I wont feel that way again" she declared.

Roan knew what she meant, he too felt the feeling of hopelessness in that room. Unfortunately, that room was key to their survival. It was virtually untouched by praimfaya. "I don't think you are capable of losing hope" he told her "the young woman who stood in a canyon asking for ten minutes of my time, while two of her people, including her best friend were in very real danger of losing their lives, didn't lose hope" he said. "this room wont do that to you either" he said. Clarke took a deep breath and exhaled it then stood to her feet "okay, I'm ready" she said holding her head high as she walked back to the sealed doors of the room.


	11. Chapter 11

Clarke wanted to try to figure out how to get into the room from the outside without breaking the seal on the inside. If radiation hadn't touched the room so far, why let it now. "Does it matter?" Roan asked her. "its not like the radiation can hurt us?" She scoffed "isn't that just like a guy to think that?" she said crossing her arms over her chest. "It also happens to be true" he pointed out. "Yes, physically we can walk on the irradiated earth, but can we ingest irradiated things and still not be affected?" she asked him "would you like to be the test bunny for that particular experiment?"

He supposed she was right. Neither of them, alone or together had actually found anything that survived praimfaya to test that theory. "I guess you have a point" he admitted grudgingly "I didn't survive all this to die like that." Clarke turned on her heels to look him in the eye "which brings me to the question I have been trying to figure out in my head all day long" she eyes him curiously. "Why slump off like a thief in the night rather than take the crown, or in this case the bunker? And where in the hell does a king hide in his own country?" she asked.

His eyes glittered with laughter " I wondered when it would occur to you to ask those questions?" he said. "Does that mean you have answers then?" she shot back "because when you marched on the ark, you were all about loyalty to country at whatever cost?" He sighed "we're not going to figure this out" he nodded at the sealed room "until I answer that, are we?" he asked. Clarke was a thinker, always had been. Even when he kidnapped her the first time, she was more concerned with why he was running away from his own people, than what he planned to do with her. She crossed her arms of her chest "nope, so spill" she said "I mean we have at least four years to see what survived in there, right?" she shrugged.

This was why Clarke was a leader of her people and not a follower, she spent too much time questioning why things were done, rather than just blindly following the set rules. He smirked "it was still about loyalty" he told her. "I wasn't dead when Luna tried to drown me, and by the way why is it always water?" he looked at her pointedly, recalling she herself had tried to drown him. "because if you cant breathe, you cant fight" she pointed out "and when you face an stronger opponent, you use whatever weapon you can" Clarke answered. "You however must be part fish" she shook her head.

"must be" he agreed grinning "are you saying you are weaker than me?" Clarke chose not to answer that question, and looked silently into his eyes for an answer to her question. "So, tell me how slumping away was about loyalty" she said. "I struck a deal with Octavia" he told her "I knew she had the potential to win, and after Luna stuck a spear in me, I would not have beaten her in the end, not in the condition I was in. Even if I had managed to beat her, do you really think my people would shared the bunker with Skaikru and trikru?" he asked.

Clarke shook her head "I knew she would share the bunker. I knew at least a hundred of my people would live, even if it meant I died in the process. It was a risk worth taking" he said. "But when she took out Luna, I saw my chance to survive. I remembered the things your mom used to save my life after the city of light and I knew I had to at least try. Lucky for me everyone was so distracted waiting for her answer, I was able to slip away and do it. When I was done, I grabbed a few things and 'slumped away' as you say" he finished. Clarke was silent "we really aren't so different Clarke" he spoke quietly "I did what was best for my people, just like you did, even if it meant that I would perish in the end. But we didn't, and whatever is in here, could help us survive that much longer, so can we do this now? He asked looking in the direction of the sealed door. "Fine, do it your way" she sighed "but if I get irradiated and die before I see Bellamy again, I'm going to haunt you forever." He snorted "I'll take that into consideration" he said reaching for her spear "may I?" he asked. She nodded.

While Roan worked on the door, she walked around the area. Monty had somehow gotten out without breaking the airlock, which meant there had to be another way in. This is where she needed Raven's expertise. She could forge passable weapons out of melted steel and piles of rubble, but nobody knew this old boat better than Raven. If there was another way into that room, she would know. Her or Monty, not that that would do either of them any good since they were all the way in space.

Roan walked up behind her "where the hell did you find this?" he held up her now bent spear. "I made it from rubble and steel on the island" she told him. He just shook his head "clearly you were not the brains of the operations when it came to weaponry" he shook his head. She smiled sadly "no, that was Bellamy" she sighed. Roan saw the look on her face and instantly felt like a heel "I'm sorry" he said "I didn't mean to…" she shook her head "its not you. Its this place. I know it will be helpful, but I see them everywhere. I see him and then I remember it will be four more years before I actually see him and…" she trailed off. He looked at her "Okay, lets take a break" he said steering her towards the exit "It's going to be dark soon, we can stay in my bunker and start over tomorrow" he said.

When they got out of the ark, she stopped in the yard and placed a miniature communication tower on the ground facing it toward the sun. She pulled out a mic and a hand held radio, then dropped to her knees and began speaking into it.

 _"Bellamy, mom, I made it to the ark, I ran into an old friend along the way. I'll explain later. I'm okay. We're okay. We can survive a long time here if we can figure out how to get into Jasper's airlock. I could really use Raven down here or Monty, they would know what to do. Oh, and by the way, you forge better tools than I do Bell. So I hope you are not losing that particular skill up there in space. I hope you hear this, I wish I could actually talk to you. Especially being here at the Ark. Jasper's bunker is full of hopelessness. I cant stay here tonight, it'll will just bring me down, but I'm not alone anymore, and we'll be safe. I cold use an infusion of wisdom on how to get into Jasper's bunker if Raven or Monty could somehow infuse my brain with that info, I'd be eternally grateful. I love you all."_

Bellamy woke up just in time to hear the tail end of her message. "Come on Clarke you can do this" he whispered after replaying her message. Raven had rigged the communication system so that it automatically recorded every transmission that came in. The sadness in her tone tore at him. She may not be alone anymore, but she sounded sadder than she had before. He was dying to know what "old friend" had also survived praimfaya, since the only nightblood left was Clarke. He dropped his head onto the table in front of him feeling as hopeless as she sounded. God, he hated this. He didn't know what was worse, not knowing if she was alive or dead, or knowing she was alive and hearing her struggles, but being unable to do a damn thing about them. "I wish I could talk to you too" he sighed.

There was no need to call Raven or Monty for the message, they would be here soon enough. One or both of them usually came about this time to haul him out of the lab where he spent most of his time waiting to her voice, to know that she was okay; though apparently since he was going to have to teach her how to forge a proper tool, he would need to brush up on that particular skill. That brought a smile to his face, this was a story he would have to hear. He was still smiling when Raven strolled in a few minutes later. "Did she send another message?" she asked. He nodded and played the message back. Raven snorted "of course she cant figure out how to open an airlock or forge a proper weapon" she shook her head. "and what old friend?" she wondered aloud. Bellamy scoffed "I'd like to know that myself" he said "but at least she isn't alone anymore." Raven nodded in agreement "there is that" she said.

Roan watched her pack up the tower and the radios, she looked very dejected. "come on" he held his hand out to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet "I'll tell you all about my bunker and praimfaya pain, that should cheer you up." She smiled slightly at that "you would think" she replied "but don't bet on it." He grinned "Oh I think I can make you at least smile a little with my tales" he assured her as they walked toward the gates of Arkadia.


	12. Chapter 12

Roan sat against the wall watching Clarke sleep. They really needed to get moving, but she'd slept so fitfully the night before that he didn't really want to wake her up. They'd walked to his bunker about half a mile from the ark mostly in silence. He'd never seen her like that, perhaps because the two of them had always been weary of the other's allegiance; and therefore put on airs in front of the other. Now they were the last two humans walking the earth, they needed to trust each other in order to survive, it would be a struggle, especially for her, she'd learned a long time ago the only person you could trust was yourself.

Changing her mind was going to be the hard part, even in times such as these. When they got to his bunker, she ate one of her MREs, handing another to him. She didn't have a whole lot to say and try as he might he had yet to get her to talk to him about anything real. He stood up and walked toward her, as much as he hated to do it, it was time to wake her up. "Clarke" he nudged her gently on the shoulder "We have to get moving if we want to break into that bar today" he told her. She opened her eyes slowly, he could see the reluctance on her face "okay" she sighed pulling herself to a standing position "let's go" she spoke softly. He looked at her "we don't have to do this today you know" he said "there are other bunkers around here" he told her. Clarke looked at him "I know" she said "I've hidden in most of them at one time or another, but the ark is our best hope of survival" she said.

She appreciated that he was willing to spare her feelings, but even she knew that she would have to face the reality of the ark sooner rather than later. "I'm sorry about last night" she said "I just don't…" He held up a hand to stop her "Believe me, I understand" he said "I realize nothing about our relationship to this point has been easy, but it's the end of the world and for all intense purposes, we are the last two humans on it. I know I'm not Bellamy, but I am willing to listen, to do whatever it takes. Hope is all we have, if we lose that, we lose everything" he told her.

She looked at him; he could see the sadness in her eyes "I miss him. I miss them. More importantly, they would know what to do. They would have gotten into Jasper's bunker last night" she said. "And today we will, even if it means we do it my way" he said "but you can't lose hope" he told her. "I'm trying" she said "but that place reminds me of all the people that are gone, it's hard" she said. "Gone, but not dead" he reminded her "you will see them again, but not if you give up. What happened to the great Wanheda" he arched his eyebrows.

Clarke scoffed "I didn't act alone in that mountain. I know everyone thinks it was just me, but it wasn't, they were there too" she said. "And they will be again, but now and for the next four years, it's you and me. So what do you say, shall we go crack the bunker open and live off of what remains in there for a while?" he held out a hand. "Ok" she said taking his hand "lead on your highness" she snickered. He snorted "like you would actually do what I told you to" he grinned ruefully. "Even Bellamy didn't get me to do that, so you might not wait for that to happen" she shot back. "Tell me something I didn't already know" he rolled his eyes.

Bellamy watched the sun rise on the earth below. By this time, Clarke and whatever 'old friend' she had managed to find would be heading to the ark by now. He hoped she would calm down enough to find a way into the bunker Jasper had built. All she had to do was get out of her own head and the answers would come to her. Unfortunately, getting out of her own head was not something Clarke was good at. "Why can't the dammed radio just work?" he spat out angrily.

"Have you ever thought that it is not our radio that is not working, but hers?" Raven sat down beside him "I mean she is just learning to do things like create communication towers, and she probably got that from some hundred year old book she found on the island. Hell, it's a miracle WE can even hear her!" Bellamy laughed "What your saying is all true, but that does very little to make me feel better, and the worst part is she has an 'old friend' helping her now? Who the hell else survived?" he spat out.

Raven laughed "jealous?" she asked. Bellamy glared at her "no, concerned" he countered "what if they don't take care of her?" he asked. "In case you failed to notice, Clarke has been known to take care of herself from time to time" she pointed out. "But she had people to help her, now all she has is this 'friend'?" Raven took his hand in hers "you have to trust that whoever this friend of hers is, they have the same problem she does. They have to survive in a world where it is just the two of them, and nobody else. And do not underestimate Clarke; her sense of self-preservation is very strong, even when she is not at her strongest."

Bellamy turned his head to look at her "thanks, I needed that" he said. "I know" she grinned at him "now come get something to eat before Monty and Murphy eat it all" she said. He allowed her to pull him to his feet, then wrapped an arm around her waist "what would I do without you?" he said. Probably go nuts slowly, then we'd have to throw you in the skybox so you wouldn't kill us all" she retorted.

Roan and Clarke got back to the ark and tried to figure out how to get into the bunker for a few hours before Clarke finally glanced at him "okay, do it your way" she sighed. He grinned victoriously and took the axe he'd brought from his bunker to the airlock. After several good hits it cracked just enough for him to wedge the axe in the door. Standing between the slightly open doors, Roan pushed it just enough for Clarke to squeeze under his arm and into the room. She handed him a chair which he stuck in between the doors, so they wouldn't close. The last thing they needed was to get stuck in there. Clarke looked around the room. Like the courtyard it was scattered with skeletal remains. Thankfully, none of them were recognizable or the task of cleaning out the room would be truly horrible. "Are you doing okay?" Roan came over to where she stood. She nodded "Do you think they really wanted to die?" she asked "or were they

just afraid to live?" he asked. "Not everybody was going to live" he reminded her "right or wrong, they made a choice, like you and I did. The difference is we made it, they didn't" he said. She sighed, she knew he was right, "so we figure out how to keep the doors open and take the bodies outside with the rest, then we stay here?" she asked. "Works for me" he said. "we have food, water, though I think I'd stay away from the jobi nut tea" he laughed. "Ya think" she smiled slightly. "What do you know, she can smile" he declared. "Shut up and go press that red button over there" she said.

Roan walked to the doors and pushed the button she'd indicated. The doors slid open and stayed open. "See I knew you'd figure it out" he said smiling at her "all you had to do was get out of your own head." She shook her head "you sound like Bellamy" she scoffed. "God Forbid" Roan groaned and began piling bones in a cart he hauled in from the hall. Clarke shook her head and began helping him. It took several trips, but they emptied the room. When that was done, they lit the two culverts of bodies on fire and stood back. "What do you say Wanheda?" he asked "Is this home sweet home?" he asked turning her so they faced the ark "why the hell not" she said.

Later that night she stood outside again with the portable tower. _"Well its done Bell" she spoke into the mic "The bodies have been burned, the ark cleaned out. We're going to stay here for a few years, or until we run out of food, whichever comes first. I figured out how to open the doors, of course that was after we broke into it in the first place."_ Bellamy heard the smile on her face, he was glad she was doing better, but he still wished he knew who the hell her friend was. _I miss you Bell! I hope you are doing okay. Don't worry about me, about us. We're going to be okay. I can't wait to see you again Bell. I love you."_

Bellamy's heat swelled at her last words "I love you too princess" he whispered "I'll come as soon as it's safe."

 **A/N this is not the end of the story, just the chapter. More later. Thanks for the reviews, this story has a hold on me and wont let go!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Day 732**

The sun had finally broken through the grey clouds. Clarke sat outside the ark enjoying the quiet morning before everybody else was up. She took her hand-held tower and walked out to the middle of the yard. Today she was going to mount it to the top of the newly constructed tower. Maybe this time it would actually be a two way communicator. She wondered if anybody was hearing her transmissions or was she just wasting her breath. "What the hell are you doing?"

she was half way up the tower when Roan bellowed at her. "Mounting this, like I told you I was going to yesterday" she replied. "I believe I asked you to let me secure the tower first" he drawled "geez, did you give Bellamy this much trouble?" he asked shaking his head. She grinned down at him "you know I did" she retorted. Unphased by his ire at her for climbing the tower, she continued to climb up it. When she reached the top she pulled the miniature dish out of her backpack and secured it to the tower using rope. She attached the cord she was able to scrounge from the communication lab on the ark to the tower and dropped the rest of it to the ground below her, before starting her descent. About halfway down a stiff breeze blew, causing her to be slightly unsteady.

Roan stepped forward and held the base of the tower until she was within arm's reach, then he snaked his free arm around her waist and lowered her to the ground "You do realize that if I let you get killed before Bellamy gets back, me surviving praimfaya wont mean a damn thing, right?" he asked glaring at her. She rolled her eyes "Bell knows better than to think anyone can control me" she shot back. "I bet he does" Roan muttered "but that wont stop him from killing me if I let you get killed" he pointed out. Clarke supposed he had a point. "Please just stay off the tower, I'll secure it today" he begged her. "Fine" Clarke agreed "I have to see if I can get Maddi cleaned up today anyway" she agreed. "Has she said anything to you yet?" he asked. She shook her head "she just needs time to adjust. She was by herself for a long time" Clarke remarked.

Roan watched her go shaking his head. She made it damn hard to keep her alive some days, no wonder Bellamy Blake was always so frustrated with her. Scowling, he let go of the tower when it finished swaying. He'd buried it deep in the ground, but had not yet set it. So when he came out first thing this morning to see her halfway up the damn thing he wanted to kill her. He attached the cord to the forgotten radio and picked it up.

" _Blake, I don't know if you can hear me" he spoke into the mic "but I could use a little advice on how to keep Clarke alive until someone else gets here to help out. She's a little bit headstrong, but she's alive. At least until she tries the next dumb thing."_

Bellamy sat up, he'd deliberately camped out in the communication room to hear her voice again. His thoughts raced, how the hell did King Roan of Azgeda survive the conclave, when his sister had been declared the winner? How the hell did he survive praimfaya? He replayed the message, then sat back and snorted "yeah have fun keeping her alive" he said, then added "but she better be alive when I get back" he muttered a hint of steel in his tone. Somehow he knew she would be, he heard a hint of protectiveness in Roan's voice, and a little tone of desperateness.

The latter kind of made him laugh. Keeping Clarke alive had been his job for four years, and she made it very hard on a good day because she was her parent's daughter and she didn't know when to stop. He replayed the last line of Roan's little rant in his head "until she does the next dumb thing, huh?" he chortled. How many dumb things could you do when there were only two of you? "oh hell" he swore "look who I am talking about" he sighed. Dumb things were her specialty. There was no little voice in her head asking herself if what she was doing was the right thing. Or if there was, she did a fine job of ignoring it. Like so many of her other messages, he'd squirreled this one away in a private file for only him to hear. He'd occasionally replay them for Raven when the two of them would sit in there at night long after everyone else had gone to bed, this one he would let her hear.

Clarke walked quietly into the quarters where the young child lay on the cot. In her sleep, Maddi looked like the innocent five year old she had once been before praimfaya turned her into the untrusting little adult she became when she was awake. They don't know what tribe she had come from, but she was clearly an undiscovered nightblood since she had walked around as free as Clarke and Roan on the irradiated earth. She hadn't yet spoken to either her or roan, except to tell them her name, but she accepted their hospitality; something Clarke wasn't sure the child was going to do when Roan first brought her back to the ark about a week ago.

Clarke's mind flashed back to the day Roan returned from a hunting trip. He was carrying something in his arms. Clarke hoped he had finally bagged that panther they'd seen running in the forest just outside the ark. In very small areas, the earth had begun to inhabit itself, including fish and forest animals. Clarke didn't know how it was possible, but they'd learned that if they food was cooked well enough, they could eat it. Which was a good thing since they only had a few MREs remaining. She was hoping he'd brought back some food that day, instead he brought Maddi.

" _where did you find her?" Clarke asked him when he'd brought the small, obviously malnourished child to her. He explained that he'd seen her tracks while hunting the day before and when he saw them again, he followed the steps she had taken to a cave. For being as little as she was, he was amazed at her ability to keep herself alive for the last two years. When she first saw him, she backed against the wall of the cave, wielding a homemade spear. He held his hands up "Ai'm nou hir kom hur yu" he spoke in his native tongue, letting the little girl know he wasn't going to hurt her. She stared at him warily. He could tell she'd been surviving on whatever she could find, which accounted for a lot of the empty bunkers._

 _He and Clarke had wondered how so many of them hade been raided, and about the things that had been taken. Well, now he had an answer for those questions. He started toward her, his arms still raised. She drew back and shoved the spear toward him. Not wanting to scare her anymore, he stopped again. "ai name ste roan" he spoke again, this time introducing himself. Recognition flashed in her eyes, she lowered the spear, but stayed planted against the wall. He chuckled, he thought it was funny that he got more respect from this frightened child, than he did from Clarke, who also had a mind of her own and used it quite frequently. If he could get the child to come back to camp with him, they could help take care of her._

As it turned out getting Maddi to the ark had been the easy part, keeping her there had been another.

 _Doing his best not to spook her, Roan sat down in her cave. Not close enough to touch her, but close enough to the entrance of the cave and in the right position to grab her if she tried to run past him. Her eyes darted between him and he cave, clearly she was trying to decide if she could get past him or not. He held up his hand again to show her he meant her no harm and reached inside his coat. Maddi picked up her spear again and shoved it at him ""Ai'm nou hir kom yu" he repeated, pulling out an MRE Clarke has insisted he take with him. Laying it on the floor of the cave he slid it towards her. She narrowed her eyes at him warily, but quickly snatched the package and eagerly sucked it down._

 _"osir don a place kom seep, yu will be klir" he told her "it ste inside kom a door." Again he spoke in her native tongue telling her about the ark. "please come back kom me?" he asked. "we don dina en water, blankets, yu will be klir." The child stared at him, then looked around her cave "I promise no one will hurt you" he switched to English. She nodded and began gathering a few things. They were halfway back to the ark, when she suddenly collapsed. He made sure she was okay, then scooped her tiny body into his arms and carried her the rest of the way._

 _Clarke watched them come in the gate "where did you find her at?" Clarke asked, amazed that someone so young had both managed to evade their extensive searches of the surrounding forest and stay alive at the same time. Clearly, she was a nightblood, seeing as she walked around as they did. "In a cave about a mile from here" he told her "she's been living off what she can scavenge, but from what I can tell her resources are running out" he said. "Take her to medical, I'll check her out" she instructed._

 _Roan stood by while she tended to the little girl. At some point Maddi stirred and began fighting her "easy" roan calmed her "this ste klark, em ste trying kom help yu." The child stopped fighting and reached for his hand. He took it and smiled at her "what's your name?" he asked her. "I am Maddi of trikru" she answered. "Hello Maddi gon trikru, em ste nice kom meet yu. pro kom ste hir kom osir. Osir will nou hurt yu" Clarke spoke to the child in her own language letting her know they wanted her to stay with them. "I promise, yu'll be klir" klark spoke softly, kindly as not to spook the child. Maddi looked at her warily, but nodded in agreement._

Maddi had tried on a couple of occasions to leave, but so far they had been able to get her to stay. She was already looking better although she needed a bath. Today, Clarke hoped to get that done. Maddi stirred and opened her eyes "good morning ai strik nightblood" she greeted the child "i brought yu some breakfast." Maddi took the packet Clarke offered sitting up and tearing it open. "Today yu need a bath" Clarke told her ""would yu like me kom help?"

Maddi had stopped shuddering when either of them approached, though she trusted Roan more than Clarke. "Wanheda" the child finally spoke. "Yes, ai laik Wanheda" Clarke acknowledged "but ai wont hur yu. Osir hogeda need each other, yu, me en roan." Maddi nodded, still wary, but it was a start. "So about bilaik bath?" Clarke asked again. Maddi nodded and stood to her feet. She reached for Clarke's hand. Clarke smiled and took the child's hand. Together, they walked to the bathroom.

A half hour later, they found Roan in the yard securing the tower "who ste bilaik strik gada kom yu? "He asked Clarke "what happened kom the strik urchin ai brought houm a few days ago?" Maddi smiled at him, but said nothing. The cleaned up version of the orphan he'd found was a definite improvement. He also noticed she was clinging tightly to Clarke's hand, another indication that she was beginning to trust them more. "How about yu en me go kom your cave en Ge the rest gon your things?" he held his hand out.

Maddi looked to Clarke, who nodded "sounds like a good idea kom me" she said. Maddi nodded and dropped her hand. She walked over to Roan and took his hand "ill hod op hir" she said "be careful." Roan nodded and they turned and walked toward the gates of Arkadia. Maddi turned back briefly "I'll be hir when yu ge back" she assured the child. Maddi nodded and walked with Roan.

Clarke walked to the tower where the radio lay next to the tower. She picked it up

" _Bellamy, its day 734, a little over two years since praimfaya destroyed the earth. I am surviving; we are surviving and growing in numbers. I never told you who I am with._

" _I know you must be wondering, but I had to be sure it was going to last._

"Sorry princess, he already beat you to it" he muttered "but thanks for that."

" _I am with Roan, yes, that Roan. It's a long story, and I will tell you all about it when you come back. But he takes care of me, almost as good as you did. And yes, I make it as hard on him as I did on you" she grinned "old habits die hard, I guess" she laughed._

Bellamy smiled, she sounded good, happy even. And he was glad that she made it hard on Roan. It meant she wasn't losing hope anymore.

" _We are still at the ark. We are surviving just fine here. There is even wildlife and plants we can eat, if we prepare it right. There is more news. We found a child, a nightblood, she is five and has been living on her own for the last two years, but she is living with us now. We're kind of like a family I guess" she said "I can't wait until you get to meet her."_

Bellamy snorted "hopefully mom and dad have separate bedrooms" he scowled as he muttered those words aloud. Raven walked in as he said that "what?" she asked wondering what on earth he was talking about. He motioned for her to join him.

" _I miss you guys; it helps not being alone anymore. I have Maddi and Roan"_ Raven's mouth dropped open, but she didn't say anything " _and we're doing okay, so don't worry about me. I hope you are doing okay. I love you. I'll see you soon"_ she signed off.

"Roan?" Raven looked at him "and who the hell is Maddi?" she asked. He nodded and replayed the message for her. After hearing the middle and last parts of her message, Raven understood the mom and dad comment Bellamy made. She smiled broadly at him "jealous much?" she teased "shut up Raven" he muttered. "Listen to this" he said playing Roan's message from earlier "Well, I guess Clarke is feeling better" she laughed. "Apparently" he muttered "I am glad it's not just me she does that too."

Raven snorted "you're just glad that she does that to him" she shot back. Bellamy grinned "maybe" he agreed "hey, don't tell the others about Roan yet, okay?" he said. She nodded, she knew they could probably tell Monty and Harper, but neither of them really trusted Echo, even after two years on the ring. "I know it's a good thing she is with someone and not alone anymore" he sighed "but him? Really?" he asked. Raven grinned at him "they're not together, together" she reminded him "just surviving together…with a child" she hedged. "Not helping" he glared at her. She laughed and took his hand "come on store that message on that private drive of yours and let's get something to eat" she said.

 **A/N To make this story true to the show, I used a Trigedasleng (aka Grounder language) translator. If you need to translate, here is the link /TrigedaslengTranslator**


	14. Chapter 14

**Day 917**

Clarke sat back and watched Maddi and Roan train. She personally thought the poor kid deserved the chance to be a kid again after surviving praimfaya by herself for two years, but Roan insisted she needed to learn "besides, what else are we doing?" he grinned at her. She supposed he had a point "it wasn't like there were other things they could be doing. Since praimfaya wiped out anyone not stuck in a bunker or in space for the next two and a half years, Clarke didn't have to fight. It was weird in a way, being friends with the guy who once kidnapped her and tried to use her life as a bargaining chip for his own freedom, but it was nice at the same time. It was definitely nicer than being alone as he had been the first year. Having Maddi had made it even more interesting. At times, she acted like a little adult as life had forced her too; but other times Clarke and Roan got clear reminders that she was in fact a five year old child, who still needed someone to parent her. It was odd how two people who had begun as sworn enemies had become defacto parents to a child neither of them had a hand in creating. Also having Maddi made Clarke really miss her mom.

"Your turn" Roan sat down beside her breathlessly. She laughed at him "not a chance" she declared. He grinned at her "chicken?" he arched his eyebrows. She nodded "I see now how she survived" Clarke murmured. "No kidding" he agreed. Maddi came over and inserted herself between them "I'm tired" she sighed. "Well then maybe its nap time" Clarke replied. The little girl could barely keep her eyes open, but she vehemently denied the need for a nap. "Well personally I'm beat" Roan yawned "I could use a nap. Why don't you tell me a story" he asked her. Maddi sighed dramatically "I told you one last night" she replied. "And it was really good, do you have another one?" Clarke shook her head, she couldn't believe Maddi was actually falling for his story; but when the little girl took his hand and hers and starting walking away Clarke just laughed. He was going to be a good dad someday. For all intense purposes, he was just as much a dad, as she was a mom. "Are you coming?" Maddi turned back to her. "In a minute, I have something to do" she said "start without me." While they walked into the ark, she walked toward the tower for her daily call to Bellamy. Her conversations weren't always long or detailed, but it helped her feel close to him. She had no idea if he was actually getting her messages, but she hoped he was.

" _It's day 917" she spoke into the mic "and it's been six months since Maddi got here. Somedays, she is such a little adult, others she is definitely a five-year-old; but without her life would be so boring. Having her here is hard sometimes though, "It makes me miss my mom. I wish I could talk to her, tell her I'm sorry for being a brat. Tell her that I love her and miss her."_ Bellamy smiled as he listened to her talk about the child she and Roan had found, it was clear that she loved her very much. _"If you are getting these, and you are in contact with her, would you tell her for me?"_ Bellamy smiled softly "consider it done princess" he murmured. _"I don't know what else to say today, I miss you. God, I miss you!"_ Bellamy sighed "I miss you too princess" he said. _"I have to go Bell, its Maddi's nap time and the only way to get her to actually take a nap is for her to tell us a story, so I have to go. I love you."_ Bellamy dropped his head "I love you too princess" he said sadly. Clarke put the radio back into its holster and took it in with her. Maddi met her at the door "I'm coming" Clarke smiled taking Maddi's extended hand.

Bellamy laid his head down on the table. He hated how sad she sounded today; hated when she talked about her life with Roan and Maddi. A life he so desperately wantedto be a part of. He pounded the panel with his fist. "Okay, time for a walk" Raven walked in the room. Bellamy sighed and stood up, he knew better than to argue with Raven. "What did she say this time?" Raven asked as they walked. He sighed "It's more like what she didn't say" he said. They found themselves once again at the window overlooking the earth below.

"It's clearing up" she said. "Not fast enough" he spoke so quietly she barely heard him. "Tell me about her latest message" Raven said sitting down against the wall and dragging him with her. "She was talking about Maddi and how much it makes her miss her mom" he sighed, "then she talked about how the only way to get her to take a nap is for her to tell them a story, which means the three of them together. In one bed" he spat out. Raven tried not to smile, but failed "with a five-year-old" she declared "they are not going to be going at it right there with her in the middle."

Bellamy glared at her "They are acting like a family" he glowered at her. "They ARE a family Bellamy, just like the seven of us" she pointed out. "There won't be a place for me in her life when we go back down" he sighed "it will be filled with her, with him." She turned his chin to look in his eyes "so are you ready to admit you're in love with her now?" she asked. He shot her a dirty look "Do I really need to answer that?" he drawled.

"Ok, so that is a no-brainer" she agreed "who are you most jealous of him? Or her?" she asked. "That should be our life" he sighed "but I just couldn't make myself say anything, and when I tried at the end, she stopped me. It's as if she already knew what was going to happen" he said. "If you had stayed with her, you'd have been dead" she reminded him. "You can still have that family with her" Raven told him "you just have to wait until it's safe for both of you." Bellamy dropped his head "and in the meantime, he gets that?" he spat out. "It's not nearly the same thing" she said taking his hand into hers "and you know that" she declared. "Tonight, you sleep in your own bed, in your own room" she told him. "I'll monitor the radio."

He shook his head "I can't sleep" he admitted "I close my eyes and I see her. It hurts to see her" a single tear rolled down his cheek "I miss her" he said. "Oh Bell" she whispered and pulled him into a hug "I know you do, and I know you think two and a half years is a long time to wait" she sighed "Isn't it?" he whispered against her neck. "Not compared to the lifetime you will have afterwards" she pointed out. "Okay, new plan" she pulled back to look at him "we go upstairs and we call the bunker. We'll talk to Abby and Octavia, then we'll go to the Griffin's quarters and watch a movie, just the two of us" she said. He sighed "do I actually get a say in this decision?" he asked her. "No" she replied "but you can choose the movie." He snorted "I guess there's that" he said. She pulled him to his feet "Come on Bell, things will look better after you get some sleep."

"Hey Bell" Octavia answered the radio "and me" Raven spoke up. "What's going on?" she asked. It was earlier than when she usually talked to Bellamy and Raven was there, so she didn't know what exactly was going on, but she knew something was going on. "We have a message for Abby from Clarke" Raven said. "You talked to her?" Octavia asked excitedly. "No, but she talks to us every day. Unfortunately, she built the radio, so it only works one way…" Raven drawled.

"Of course it does" Octavia chortled. "How is she?" she asked. "Are you alone?" Raven asked. "It's just Abby and I" Octavia confirmed. "What I'm about to tell you only Bellamy and I know" she said "are you comfortable with keeping that secret? Because if you aren't…" Raven trailed off. "Even from Indra" Bellamy chimed in. There was silence for a moment "okay" she sighed "this stays between us." Raven looked to Bellamy "she is not alone" he said. There was silence followed by a long pause "what do you mean she is not alone?" Abby chimed in "Who else survived?" Bellamy sighed "two others, both of them nightbloods" he said "they're living in the ark."

There was an impatient sigh "Who Bell?" Octavia demanded. "Roan" he answered "and a nightblood child named Maddi." There was another moment of silence "Roan?" Octavia asked clearly confused "as in King Roan, King of Azgeda? He died Bell, I watched him die!' she exclaimed. "She didn't explain" he said "but she clearly said it was, and that it was a long story and she would explain later" Bellamy said.

"And the child?" Abby asked. "A five year-old who managed to live on her own for two years before Roan and Clarke found her. She said if I ever talked to you to tell you that she loves you and that she is sorry for being a brat. They're practically a family" he sighed. "Practically Bell" Octavia heard the distress in her brother's voice "not really a family, but the three of them are out there alone, when everyone else is in a bunker or in space. They need to function like a family, especially if there is a child involved" she finished.

The bunker in Polis was full of orphaned children who had been adopted into families. "It doesn't mean that she doesn't love you any less or that she is going to all of sudden fall into bed with King Roan of Azgeda" Octavia told him "but they are for all intense purposes a family. The dynamic will be different when you see each other again, but do you think she is going to love you any less?" she asked. Raven laughed "shut up Raven" he muttered "what?" Octavia asked. "Ignore him" Raven grinned at him "you basically said what I said earlier, but it meant something coming from you apparently" she laughed. "You should listen to Raven" Octavia scolded him. He rolled his eyes "yes mom" he drawled.

"Hey I'm going to drag him out of the communication lab for a few hours. By the way abby, thanks for leaving the big screen TV in your quarters" Raven said. Abby laughed "enjoying that are you?" she asked. "Very much" Raven said. "Well you should look in the cupboard above the dresser; there are some old home movies there." Bellamy grinned maliciously at her "Oooh that sounds like fun" he said "now I can't wait to get there." Abby laughed "don't tell Clarke I told you where they were, she'll never forgive me" she said. "She would" Bellamy laughed "Maddi is teaching her a few things about being a mom." Abby sighed "I would love to see that" she chortled. "We will in about three years" he said "If we don't die from the waiting…" Abby heard the catch in his breath "she won't forget you Bellamy" Abby assured him. "Go watch old home movies of Clarke; it will make you feel better. Plus it will give you some good, dirty secrets to use against her." Bellamy laughed "I will do that. I love you O" he said. "Love you too big brother" she returned. "Come on Bell, let's go see what Clarke was like as a child" she said taking him by the hand and leading him away.


	15. Chapter 15

Raven tried unsuccessfully to shift on the couch. Despite his protest, Bellamy was sound asleep, his head resting on her lap. She ran his fingers through his hair, he was so upset earlier about the developing relationship between Clarke and Roan. Honestly, Raven didn't see it going anywhere, clearly Bellamy and Clarke were over the moon for each other. Too bad it took them being separated by millions of miles and a fiery atmosphere to realize it. The door opened and Monty and Harper walked in. "shh" Raven held a finger up to her lips, pointing at Bellamy. They nodded and sat in the chair next to her "did he finally crash and burn?" Monty asked.

She nodded "He sits in that room all day waiting to hear from her, and cant sleep at night" she spoke just above a whisper. "He misses her" Harper said sadly. Raven nodded "yeah he does, and she misses him" Raven replied. "How is she?" Monty asked. "She's doing okay." Raven told them. "Is she still alone?" Monty asked. "No" Raven answered "she is not, and yes we have known that for a while, but Bellamy is not sure he wants everyone here to know who she is with" she admitted. "Meaning Echo and/or Emori?" Harper asked. "yes" Raven replied "any particular reason why?" she asked. "It's a grounder" Monty answered before Raven had a chance. She nodded "and a grounder child too" she said. "I don't want to say anything else until Bellamy is okay with it" she told them. I hope that doesn't bother you" she told them. They shook their heads, "that's fine with us" Harper agreed for both of them.

"So what are watching?" Monty asked. Raven grinned "old griffin family movies" she said "It was exactly what Bellamy needed." Bellamy grunted and shifted in his sleep wrapping an arm around Raven's waist. She really needed to stretch her legs out, but Bellamy was wrapped solidly around her. Since she was stuck in one position on the couch, Monty switched the movie and they settled in to watch it.

Clarke was stretched out in the bed with Maddi curled against her. Roan was on the other side, also asleep. The two of them had spent so much time and energy training that morning that they were wore out. She enjoyed watching the two of them. Maddi brought out the child in him, a side she didn't know Roan possessed. He was always so serious, but with her he was a giant teddy bear. Clarke wondered what would happen when the bunker opened and the seven people on the ring came home. Would things change between her and Roan? Would their relationship with Maddi change?

She didn't need to wonder what Bellamy would think about her relationship with Roan. He would hate it, mostly because he was not a big fan of Roan's to begin with. She really needed to get a couple of things done, but with Maddi cuddled against her, she wasn't going to be making an escape any time soon; however if that meant not having to deal with a cranky little girl later, she supposed she could live with that. Clarke sighed and rolled her neck, she really needed some sleep, and since Roan and Maddi were sleeping, she might as well do the same.

Laying her head on the pillow, she ran her hands through Maddi's dark hair. If she hadn't seen for herself that she had managed to survive on her own for over a year when she was just a toddler, she never would have believed it. The last conscience thought she had was of the miracle that Maddi was and the joy she brought to Clarke by just being there. Clarke wrapped an arm around the child's waist and closed her eyes, deciding to follow Roan's example and get some sleep.

Hours later, Bellamy stirred. He realized he was still in the Griffin quarters. He didn't know how long he'd slept, but the room was dark. Raven was sprawled in an uncomfortable looking position on the couch. Apparently he'd fallen asleep on her and she wasn't able to get out from under him. He needed to remember to thank her later, that couldn't have been comfortable with her leg the way it was. Right now he was going to try to move her without waking her up. Positioning one and on the back of her head, he gently pulled her down beside him, so that she was laying on her side across the cushions of the couch, beside him. She moved in her sleep, but did not wake up. He kept his movements to a minimum so as not to wake her. Harper and Monty slept in the chair next to them. Raven shuffled in her sleep, draping an arm over his waist. Her face buried in his chest. He owed her a lot she had kept him sane the last two and a half years; and would continue to do so for the next two and a half years, or however long they were stuck here.

He remembered when they first got on the ring, she flat out told him, and she would not be a member of his harem. He shook his head, who'd have thought the guy who treated sex like a sport could have a beautiful girl in his arms, while his thoughts were with another beautiful girl literally a galaxy away, who was possibly in another man's arms. He scoffed life was quite twisted at times. His thoughts turned to Clarke again. He wanted her to be happy, even if it meant her being happy with Roan, and Maddi, but he wasn't sure he could handle knowing she was _with him_ , with him.

"Stop thinking so loud" Raven muttered against his chest. He chuckled wrapping an arm around her "sorry, my loud thoughts woke you up" he said. "I cant help myself" he sighed "I sit here, like this, with you, wrapped in your arms and you in mine…" he was cut off by her voice "and all you can think of is Clarke like this in Roan's arms" she finished. He scoffed "yeah, is that terrible?" he asked. She smiled at him "no, its not" she said holding his hand in hers "Bell" she spoke softly, "We've been through a lot together, and I care about you, a lot, heck I might even love you" she laughed "but I'm not _in love_ with you. And I have enough self-respect for both of us, and for Clarke to not sleep with a guy who is in love with somebody else for the sake of making him feel better. That's not what sex is for" she told him

"That may sound old fashioned, or maybe I hope I find a guy who doesn't go off and kill a bunch of innocent grounders or die in a fiery explosion and I don't want to explain why I slept with my best friends guy because we were lonely and thinking of her; besides" she grinned "I already told you I wont join your harem." He laughed and pulled her closer to him "Thank you" he whispered "for being here for me, with me, but not with me" he sighed. "you're welcome" she returned "besides, you don't deserve me" she retorted. "That I don't" he chuckled "that I don't, now go back to sleep" he said kissing her cheek and turning her so that her back was to his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist and they drifted off to sleep.

Clarke woke up with Maddi clinging tightly to her waist, the child's head resting just below her chin and Roan's heavy arm wrapped around both of them. She didn't know when, or how, or who shifted in the middle of the night, but clearly one or all of them did. What she did know was the neither she, nor Maddi had slept that good in a long time.

Clarke knew for a fact the three of them were the only three people on this portion of earth. Thanks to praimfaya and due to diligent searching on their parts, every bunker and buried car had been searched and raided. If someone else was alive they were pretty good at hiding. She didn't live in fear of dying or being murdered in her sleep like she had when she first came back from the island; but she did live in fear of being alone again like she was on the island. She'd never voiced those thoughts to Roan, despite how close they had become.

For all intense purposes, they were a family. They functioned like a family, not like she and Bellamy had with the 100 since most of them were mostly full grown; but like a 'real' family. While Maddi was quite able to take care of herself, she had come to depend on them for things she might look to a mom and dad for. Roan did his best to make sure she did not lose the ability to take care of herself with is training, but he also did not hold back his affection for the child. Clarke smiled at that, she had truly been surprised to see that side of him; but since they were surviving together, rather than battling for survival against the other, they would see different sides of the other person.

Clarke tried to stretch without dislodging Maddi or waking Roan "Stop moving or you'll wake the ball of energy up" Roan grumbled against her neck. She laughed "I'm trying, but it's hot with her plastered against me" Clarke replied. "suck it up Griffin" he drawled "and enjoy the quite." Clarke chuckled "you know you love it training and hunting with her" she shot back. He sighed and rose up on his elbow "I also love the quiet when she sleeps, which she does far too little of" he said "you too, by the way" he arched his eyebrows at her. "both of you think too much about people you cant have and it keeps you awake" he told her.

"You might be right" she sighed. "I am right" he declared "and you know that, as much as it drives you nuts to admit it." She laughed "what if he moves on up there with Echo or Raven?" she asked. Roan sighed "first of all, Raven wouldn't do that to you" he said "she's your best friend. And Bellamy Blake may be the last man standing in her world, but she knows that is temporary" he told her "and secondly Bellamy and Echo have been through far too much, and not in a good way, for him to trust her enough to get that close to him, even in hard times" he assured her. "the same could be said for us" she murmured.

"It could be" Roan agreed "but do you really think the first thing I want to do when Bellamy comes back from space is start a war over a girl?" he drawled. She smiled "probably not" she agreed. "Clarke" he sighed turning her to face him "This is nice. Its probably the first real sleep I've gotten since that little ball of fire came into our lives, and I know it's the first real sleep you have gotten; but we will not be making this little 'family' we are building a battleground by sleeping together. We need to survive and to do that we have to like each other" he told her. "Besides, I do not want to wake the sleeping giant that is Bellamy Blake, by sleeping with his girl. I don't go looking for fights I can't win" he chortled. "now, puhlease, can we get back to sleep before our little ball of energy wakes up and we don't get any sleep?" he begged. She laughed "yes, dear" she retorted. "Thank you" he sighed, draping an arm around both of them again as he lowered himself back down to the bed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Day 1,101**

"we have to tell them Bell" Raven insisted "ALL of them." Its been two years since Clarke told us and still no one here knows." Bellamy sighed he knew she was right, he just didn't trust that they would handle it well, particularly Echo. The two of them were far from being friends, but they had established a fragile trust. One he was sure would be damaged when she found out what he knew and how long he'd known it. Of course, no one else on the ark, other than Raven knew either, so he had that to fall back on.

He and Raven had spent a fair amount of time sleeping in one or the other's rooms. Murphy always had a comment to make and some of the others wondered what was going on with them. Monty and Harper were the only ones who knew the truth about their relationship, which was that Bellamy slept better and was in a better frame of mind when he was with her. Raven was the only one who truly understood what losing Clarke had done to him. Just having her close made him feel so much better. "Fine" he sighed "call a meeting after dinner, we'll tell them then" he relented. "They might surprise you, even Echo" she said "give them a chance.

Except for the occasional spat over rations or some small issue the seven of them had managed to get along quite well in their cramped quarters; sometimes they would get bored and pick at each other or be generally unfriendly, but it didn't usually last too long. If it started to affect the others Bellamy stepped in and settled the issue once and for all, as his leadership was unquestioned; of course that could change pending their announcement.

Clarke could not believe how much Maddi had changed in the course of a year. Helping her grow into the person she was now versus the brave, yet wary little girl she'd been made Clarke miss her mom even more. "Do you think she thinks I'm dead?" she asked Roan as the two of them watched Maddi run in the yard surrounding the ark? "I think that her mom instincts know better" he told her "or maybe you suck at all things electronic and your messages are getting to her or to Bellamy, but they can't talk to you" he snorted.

He'd seen first hand how little she knew about the ark, even though she'd been raised on it. "I always had Raven or Monty for those things" she defended, though she knew her skills were sadly lacking. "We need to think about leaving soon" Roan told her "or at least finding more bunkers or buried cars. We are low on rations." Clarke knew he was right, but they felt safe here, all of them, including Maddi. "We have to try to stay for her" Clarke watched the child she'd come to love as her own. "You and me out there would do okay, but with her one or both of us would spend more time worrying about her and less time watching around us." Roan looked at her "Nothing will happen to either of you" he declared "or there will be hell to pay."

Clarke smiled at him "thank you" she spoke softly "for keeping us alive, but you have to be careful too" she reminded him. They both wanted to make a trip to Polis, to see what the city had become, but if anyone had somehow survived in Polis, it was him who would be in the greatest danger. He was supposed to have perished in the conclave and if suddenly showed up alive and well, things would not be so great for him. "You know what we have to do" he said staring intently at her. She sighed "Yes, I know what we have to do" she sighed "we'll do it tomorrow" she reluctantly agreed "but at the first sign of trouble.." she trailed off. "Nothing will happen to any of us" he assured her taking her hand in his "least of all you or Maddi."

The room was absolutely quiet for about half a second after Bellamy told the others what he and Raven knew, and how long he'd known. Echo looked completely stunned; she shook her head at him, then turned on her heel and walked out of the room. "Go" Raven urged "I'll handle things in here." Bellamy nodded at her gratefully and followed Echo. He caught up with her by the window that overlooked the earth below. "I'm sorry" he said "I should have said something earlier." She turned to face him, fire in her eyes "he was my king" she spat out. "WAS, your king, he banished you remember?" Bellamy replied "left you to die in the radiated world."

She shook her head "but that's not why you didn't say anything is it?" she asked. "You still don't trust me, after all this time?" Bellamy had the grace to look away "no, I don't" he admitted "you've killed my friends, tried to kill me, almost _did_ kill my sister. It's only thanks to Clarke's medical skills and her absolute will to live that she is alive. So, no I don't trust you." He told her "but that doesn't mean I won't fight for you, protect you." She sighed "Besides" Bellamy pointed out "I didn't tell anyone, not even my friends" he pointed out. "At first I wasn't happy about it, but I was glad she wasn't alone anymore" the last words came out softer "even if it meant being with him."

Echo didn't know if she should be pissed off at him or feel sorry for him, but right now she wanted to wring his neck. "Everything I did, even to the point of banishment was for the glory of my king" she hissed. "Do you not understand that?" she asked him. "Our people, Clarke and Roan had a deal" Bellamy shot back "yet despite that, you almost killed my sister, me and my best friend because you heard a rumor" he spat out. "NOBODY messes with my baby sister" he said with deadly quietness "or Clarke" he added. "I was a soldier Bellamy; I did what my king asked without question. Have you ever done that?" she asked. "I'm not really known for doing a good job of following orders" he smiled ruefully "but the one time I did" his tone softened "it cost my sister the love of her life."

Echo really wanted to be mad at him, was really mad at him. She was also hurt that after all they'd been through he still didn't trust her, but he had a blind spot when it came to Octavia and Clarke, nobody could touch them, regardless of what they did or who they hurt. "You were a soldier for them" she pointed out "still are in many ways" she said. "I love them" he said watching the earth below "I would die for them over and over again if I could." He would have died for Clarke if she gave him the chance. He would have stayed with her despite his inability to survive praimfaya.

"That kind of loyalty is why I did some of the things I did" she said "it was not personal. We were at war" she repeated. "You were being distrustful" he countered "all you had to do was ask what was going on, and we would have told you." Echo scoffed "You think someone like Pike cared about that?" she asked. He shook his head "No, Pike was driven by revenge" Bellamy admitted "and the things he did cost his own people, me, my sister, Clarke, but the rest of us, we wanted to try to establish peace, then you went and gave us a false tip so your people could blow up Mount Weather, with our people in it" he said "you killed so many innocent people" he shook his head.

"Opening Mount Weather was violation of a treaty" she said. "Mount weather was opened to save a man's life, a grounder no less, but you were in soldier mode, shooting first then asking questions." Echo looked at him "and never, not even once have you ever done that?" she asked. "Only once, and a good man was hurt for it" he said thinking of Lincoln when they first met him at the drop ship "look, I'm not a soldier, I don't blindly follow any…many people, but the two people I will follow blindly are the two people you have tried or plotted to kill on many occasions. One of those people is the reason you are here, because she isn't like me. She uses her head, I use my heart and while it doesn't always tell me to do things the right way, I always mean well. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner. I'm sorry I didn't trust you enough to do that" he sighed.

"I'm sorry too" she sighed "I was raised to follow blindly and I did that. For what it's worth, I'm glad I didn't succeed in killing your sister or Clarke, I wouldn't be here without them in one way or another" she said. "I know we have a past" she continued "and not a good one, but we are not enemies anymore" she told him. "We are not so different Bellamy" she looked at him "I was just a better soldier and look where that got me in the end. Even after all this, will probably never be anything more than two people who survived praimfaya, who may somehow become friends. but your survival is key to my survival, so just trust that hurting you, any of you, who have been so gracious to me, will not help that cause" she said.

"And my sister?" he asked. "Has nothing to fear from me, and even if she did, she has the power of thirteen clans behind her. I am an outcast, with no one" sadness entered her tone. "You once asked me if we'll ever be able trust each other again" he looked at her "I told you I didn't think we ever would, but things are different now. It may take some time for me to truly trust you" Bellamy looked at her "but you are not alone. And no one, not even my sister, will be allowed to hurt you" he told her. "I would be dead if not for you. That is a debt I could never repay and will not forget" she said. "Now, I really just need to be alone if you don't mind." Bellamy nodded "I understand, if you need anything…" he trailed off. "I know where to find you" she replied.

Echo could not believe that Roan had survived. How? And where did he go? Why did he not present himself in battle and take the bunker. So many questions she may never have answers to. So many feelings to confront, first and foremost was the anger, the betrayal she felt that Bellamy did not trust her enough to say something. She knew that trust was earned and she had tried on several occasions to kill him and his friends, but she thought they had gotten past all that. She knew that he would protect her like anybody else on the ring, but she wanted him to know that she could be trusted at the same time.

"Are you okay?" Harper found her in the Griffin quarters. Echo nodded, she was grateful for the support she got from Harper, who had never treated her badly. "Are you?" she asked Harper. "Yeah, what Bell did, not telling anybody" she said "it's who he is. He doesn't trust anybody, besides Raven, Clarke and Octavia, I mean" she clarified. "He grew up learning you could only trust yourself, which was his life on the ark and on the ground for the first four years. Old habits die hard" she shrugged. "So are you still mad at him?" she asked.

Echo sighed "I'm not mad at him; I just thought we were past all that. I am a little mad at Roan, why would he just quit like that, when he could've have saved his people?" she asked. Harper shrugged "I'm sure he had a good reason why, unfortunately, you're going to have to wait a couple more years to get that information" she sighed. Echo turned to her "what about you? Are you mad that he didn't tell you?" she asked. Before Harper could answer, they were joined by Murphy, Emori and Monty.

"Ain't that just like Bellamy" Murphy chortled sitting down and slinging an arm around Emori's shoulder. "Does that upset you?" she asked him. He shook his head "no, because that is who he is" he shrugged "I'm sure he didn't mean to upset any of us." They all looked to Echo "what?" she shrugged. "Are you okay?" Emori asked her. She nodded "I understand why he didn't want to tell me, but why would he keep that from all of you?" she asked. Murphy snorted "because he knew we would accuse him of being jealous of the relationship Clarke and Roan are developing" he laughed. "Do you think they are, together I mean?" she asked. "That's not even a remote possibility" Monty dismissed her theory.

"Clarke and Bellamy are the only two people who don't see how much the two of them love each other" he said. "But they have that little girl" she sighed. "And they are bound to have some type of a familial relationship because of that, but Clarke is in love with Bellamy" Monty replied "And Roan is in love with himself" Murphy tossed his opinion into the conversation. Echo glared at him, she was beginning to understand why the others got so infuriated with him. "Ignore him" Emori rolled her eyes "he has a problem; his mouth operates faster than his brain most of the time." Harper laughed at that. Murphy just shook his head.

Raven found Bellamy in the communication room "how did it go with Echo?" she asked. "Okay, I guess" he shrugged "she wasn't happy with me, but she'll get over it." Raven sighed "you have to get over everything she did at some point" she pointed out. "And I will, but that doesn't mean I'm ever going to trust her completely" he returned "how many times has she tried to kill me, or Clarke or Octavia?" he asked. "Am I just supposed forget that?" Raven sat down next to him "no, but you have to learn to trust people sometime" she told him "you might as well start here." Bellamy wasn't sure how to respond to that, but before he had to the radio crackled

" _Bell, mom, if you can even hear me"_

"We hear you princess" Bellamy sighed, "I wish there was a way to tell you that."

" _We're running low on supplies; we need to head to Polis or some place that hopefully has hidden rations. We're going to lock the ark in case we need to come back. We're okay, Maddi, Roan and I. This will be an interesting trip. I don't know who is more determined to keep us safe me or Roan. He swears if we do happen to run into someone, a remote possibility by the way, and they try to hurt me or Maddi, they'll have to deal with him. The glint in his eyes when he said made me feel very safe in his care._

"He'd better take care of you" Bellamy muttered.

 _He has been training Maddi every day for the last two years; she's pretty good in a battle herself. Plus, she's tiny and fast, so she can hurt you in places you wouldn't want to be hurt."_ Bellamy sucked in his gut at those words; he didn't need her to explain what she meant. _I'm taking the radio; I'll try to keep in touch. Oh and tell Raven that Roan appreciates her expertise now that he has seen my abilities with anything related to engineering._

"Of course he does, because that's not your thing" Raven chortled.

" _You guys take care of each other, and Bell make sure you tell everyone about Roan, even Echo. I know she is not your favorite person, but she can be a powerful ally or a fierce foe, trust me you don't want the latter."_ Raven snorted "she has your number, doesn't she?" Bellamy glared at her. _I have to go, I'm getting the look for the king"_ Bellamy grinned, it was nice she was driving someone else nuts for a change. _I'll radio along the way. I love you both. Tell everybody that I'm okay, and I'll see them later."_

The radio went dead "she must be doing okay if she is getting 'the look' from Roan. Raven laughed. Bellamy sighed "I'm glad he has her" he said "but that doesn't help me sleep at night." She took his hand in hers "You can sleep every night, next to her in a couple of years in the meantime, take her advice and make Echo a powerful ally, rather than a fierce foe." Bellamy shook his head "yes dear" he remarked sarcastically.


	17. Chapter 17

Roan, Clarke and Maddi had walked for hours, well Roan and Clarke had, Maddi rested slept against Roan's chest, his arms closed carefully around her. "We can stop you if she gets too heavy" Clarke told him. He shook his head, "She's fine, but you look tired" he told her. "I'm a little tired" she agreed, but we need to get to Polis" she said. "We don't have to get there tonight" he said "Didn't you say there is an underground bunker around her somewhere?" he asked. Clarke nodded "It's not too far from here" she said. "Lets go there to spend the night. We have enough food and water to stop and you need to rest" he insisted. She knew by his tone that this was a battle she was going to lose, so she nodded and led him to the bunker. Once inside, she'd locked the entrance from the inside and lit the oil lamps. The place was exactly as she and Finn left it the last time they were in her many years ago.

Roan placed Maddi in one of the beds, and turned to Clarke "do you want to share with her or do you want the other bed?" he asked. "I'll share with her, you take the other bed" she told him. The only other option was for him to sleep on the floor, and he needed his rest as much as they did. "Get some sleep" he told her "we can eat later." Clarke would've protested, but she was tired and sleep sounded good "Okay" she agreed, climbing over Maddi and laying her head on the pillow. She was asleep soon after "not tired, huh?" Roan shook his head, pulling a light blanket over both of them before heading to the other bunk and laying down on it.

He looked over at Clarke, and arm wrapped protectively around Maddi. If someone would've told him a year ago, he would be surviving praimfaya as a nightblood with Clarke, who was also a nightblood and a small child he would have laughed at them; yet here they were. He knew that she missed her friends, especially Bellamy. He'd see it in her eyes. She be sitting down and get this far away look in here eyes, like she was a million miles away. Maddi had brought both of them so much joy, but he knew there were some days she struggled with the separation she had from her friends and her mom, that's why the trip to Polis. Plus they were both genuinely curious about what had become of the city. His last thought before sleep claimed him was that he needed to keep these two people safe from any and all harm, at all costs.

Bellamy watched the sun set on the earth below. He knew just about where Clarke would be right about now. He was concerned about a lot of things. Was she eating okay? Was she right and were her and Roan and Maddi the only three humans walking the earth? Was she safe from any other threat? But most of his thoughts ran just a bit deeper than that. Mostly, he wondered what would her relationship with Roan be in two or three years when they returned to earth. By that time, the two of them will have raised a child. For all intense purposes, they will be parents, how will he fit into the mix? Will he fit into the mix?

"You shouldn't think that hard" Echo slid down beside him. He chuckled "Couldn't sleep either?" he asked her. She shook her head "I can't believe he survived" she spoke softly, "and I can't believe he walked away without a fight. I wish I knew why" she sighed. Bellamy looked over at her "maybe he was injured and knew he wouldn't win, so he sacrificed himself so his people would win" Bellamy shrugged. "But he was a king. Kings don't die for the sake of their people, they allow people to die for them" she replied "that was my job, to take care of the king, regardless of what it cost me." Clarke's words about Echo being a powerful ally hit him full force. "Apparently, that was… is mine too" he spoke softer "Doing whatever it takes for the safety and happiness of my princess" he sighed. "and your sister" she reminded him "her too, but she doesn't need me anymore. She has a whole army to protect her."

Echo watched his face "She still needs her brother though" she said "and Clarke still needs her prince." He scoffed "she has a king, and they have a daughter" he shook his head "what does she need me for?" He sighed and leaned his head back against the cold steel "where will I fit into that little picture?" he asked. "She loves you. She talks to you" Echo reminded him "her messages, they're to you and occasionally her mom, but mostly you. She still needs her prince" she reassured him. "And Roan still needs his guard" he told her. "I was banished, remember?" she pointed out. "I'm fairly certain that wont really matter in the end" he told her. "He trusted you with his life once, that kind of faith never really goes away. It may waver at times, but the faith it takes to believe that someone will fight for you never completely goes away" he said.

They lapsed into a companionable silence as the sun set of the earth below. "I can't believe you grew up with this view" Echo sighed. The colors of the universe set against the inky blackness of space were something to behold. "We would've given anything to see it from the other side" he murmured. "What was your life up here like?" she asked him. "It wasn't much of a life" he sighed. "my mom was a good mom, but she loved us, enough to have Octavia when it costs her everything in the end." Echo heard the sadness in his voice "she died in childbirth?" she asked. He shook his head "she died because of her decision to have a second child" he corrected. Echo crinkled her eyes "why was that a crime?" Echo asked him.

Bellamy shook his head "you know how this old boat barely helps us to survive?" he asked her. She nodded "think about this place with hundreds of people on it" he said. She shuddered "it sounds like a whole bunch of people in one place" she said "and all of them with their place in society" Bellamy said. "There were twelve colonies that came together after the first time praimfaya killed everyone on earth, each with their own skills and abilities. We had some people like the Griffin's who were ark royalty" he chuckled "or so Octavia and I always thought" he sighed "turns out being a princess wasn't always a good thing." Echo knew he was talking about Clarke again. When he talked about her , he was either incredibly happy like she was the center of his universe or the polar opposite because she was so far away. "and your life wasn't like that?" she asked. He snorted "not by a long shot" he chortled.

"My mom did whatever she needed to do to survive and when she found out she was pregnant with Octavia, she disobeyed the law to have her. She put that tiny baby in my arms and said I had to take care of her" he sighed. "And you have been doing that ever since" Echo murmured beginning to understand his loyalty to his sister. He nodded "I'm sorry I tried to kill her" she said, truly understanding what that must have done to him. "Me too" he sighed "we could have saved so much time and anger and worked together for a solution where we could all be together instead of watching from hundreds of miles and a galaxy away" he sighed. "I always was a little hard-headed" she sighed. "Me too" he laughed "Maybe we are more alike than we want to think" he shook his head. "maybe" she agreed "even if our methods are very different." Bellamy smirked "and yet the end result seems to be the same" he replied.

"I'll make you a deal" Echo looked at him. Intrigued, Bellamy looked at her "what deal?" he asked. "I'll help get you back to your princess and your sister, and you help me get me back to my king. Never again, will we allow rumors and misunderstandings to undermine that goal" she said. Bellamy grinned "That's a deal I can get behind" he agreed. "I know you don't have a lot of experience with good faith deals" she told him, but you can trust me on this." He nodded "I know that I can" he said "in my head, I know that. But I have to warn you sometimes my heart overrules my head and does something dumb" he told her. Echo laughed, that much she already knew about him "you don't say…" she drawled. He shrugged "what can I say? I am an open book" he laughed.

Clarke woke up to the sound of laughing; she looked over to see Roan and Maddi were playing on the floor with some steel toys. Clarke flinched when she saw them. She knew where those toys had come from. Maddi was the first to realize she was awake. She ran over "look who Roan found" she smiled and held up the two-headed deer. Clarke smiled at the child "that's pretty cool" she said, hoping her voice did not betray her thoughts. Maddi didn't seem to notice "can I keep it?" she asked. Clarke nodded "I'm pretty sure no one is going to come looking for it" she said. "Hey sprite" Roan called "why don't you put that in your pack and get it on. We need to head out soon" he told her. "Okay" Maddi sprinted away, clutching the deer.

Roan walked over to her and held out his hand. Clarke took it and stood to her feet. "Yours?" he asked nodding in Maddi's direction. She nodded "it was a long time ago, but I left it here" she answered. "That must be some story" he looked at her. "It is" she sighed "one I don't want to get into right now if you don't mind" she implored him. "Whenever you're ready" he said holding her pack for her to slip her arms into it. "Thanks" she said securing it in the front. "Ready sprite?" he called to Maddi. She nodded "Ok then, lets hit the road" he said "we have a bit of a journey today."

Roan insisted on going up the hatch first, as usual he wanted to be the first one out the door in case there was trouble lurking there. "All clear" he said reaching down to help each of them up. They started in the direction of Polis with Roan leading the way and Maddi between them for her own safety. They walked for hours and finally stopped for lunch in a shady spot, where Maddi promptly fell asleep in Roan's lap. "She's a little trooper" he said brushing her hair with his hand. "That she is" Clarke agreed. The little girl had pretty much managed to keep up with the two of them without complaining. "Clarke" he looked at her "what happens to us, to Maddi when you're people come out of the bunker? When Bellamy comes back down?" he asked.

Clarke had been thinking the same thing "We stick together until we know how things are going to work" she said "even when Bellamy comes back down" she said. "As for Maddi, you and I will always make the best decisions for her until she is ready to do that for herself, regardless of who we may or may not be with" she told him. "She will always be our first priority" Clarke swore "and anyone who has a problem with that, including Bellamy, will have to deal with that" she declared. "Okay" he bobbed his head in agreement. "We should get going; do you want to wake her up?" Clarke asked. Roan shook his head and pulled Maddi up to his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

Together he and Clarke headed toward Polis. They were close, but how close neither of them knew. The closer they got to Polis, the more ash and soot they encountered "from the ashes we will rise" she muttered, just now realizing that meant literally.


	18. Chapter 18

Bellamy waited by the radio for hours, but did not hear anything from Clarke. He wondered if they made it to Polis or if something had come up. "Has she messaged you again?" Raven came in to the room. "No, do you think they ran into trouble?" he asked. "Not likely, they probably can't get radio access" she said "even with the best communication system Polis is hard to reach, and look who built this radio" she shook her head. He laughed "you may have a point" he sighed. "I DO have a point" Raven countered "come on, its lunch time. You can sit and stew in here after you've eaten" she said pulling him to his feet. Thankfully, they'd had the fortitude to smoke and freeze dry some meat to bring with them, seeing as algae wasn't all that filling or tasty, but it did keep them alive. "Any word?" Monty asked him when he entered. He shook his head and sat down next to Harper, who patted his hand. "She's probably just traveling" she said "She'll radio later." Bellamy hoped so, he'd gotten used to the sound of her voice every day.

After lunch Bellamy returned to the communication room, still no word from her. After another couple of hours, Raven walked in and ordered him out "I don't care where you go, or what you do, but you cannot sit in here or on the observation deck and brood" she told him. "Wherever she is, whatever she is doing, Clarke is fine. She will radio you when she gets a chance." Bellamy was prepared to fight her on that, but one look at her and he knew it was a battle he would lose. With a deep sigh, he got out of the chair and walked out of the room. He didn't know where he was going to go or what he was going to do until he found himself in his family's old quarters.

Not everything that happened in this room had been bad. While his mom was no saint, she loved her children and took care of them in the best way she knew how. Her methods of doing so might be questionable, but he reasons could never be. He and Clarke had talked a lot about their parents and the way they were raised. While neither of them had any doubt that their parents loved them, Bellamy's mother had been infinitely more loyal to her children than Abby had been to Clarke. He also knew those memories would come into play where Maddi was concerned. He didn't need to be told that she, and to some point Roan would always be a part of any future they may have. To what extent he wasn't sure, and while he could make an exception for Maddi, he wasn't sure he could stand in line behind King Roan of Azgeda, for any reason.

"Not going to happen" Raven stood in the doorway. "What's not going to happen" he asked "No way is she going to choose Roan over you, Maddi Maybe, but not Roan. He isn't going anywhere though you know that, right?" she asked. "Do you have a direct line to my thoughts?" he scowled at her. She shrugged "I can read you like a book" she smiled sweetly at him. "Well stop it" he sighed, but they both knew he didn't mean it. "How about you distract him then" Bellamy teased "that way he can still be a part of Maddi's life, but not Clarke's..." he proposed. She snorted "Yeah, that's what I need a king with issues of his own to complicate my life" she scoffed. "Just think, you would be royalty" he grinned. She ignored his current conversation "so this is where you grew up, huh?" she asked. "Yep, in all its glory" he sighed.

"I like it, it feels homey" she declared. "It was home, to me at least. To O it was a prison where she was forced to live under the floor" he walked as he talked to a hatch in the middle of the room. "Octavia had to sleep there?" she asked "how the hell did she fit?" Bellamy shrugged "As she got older, it was harder to hide her" he said. "No wonder she prefers to sleep outside" Raven shuddered. "yeah she had it rough" he said. "But she has come into her own" Raven assured him "and she is better for it. We're all better for it." He smiled sadly "I miss her too" he sighed. Raven rolled her eyes and pushed him to the door "okay, add this to the list of places you can't go when you are feeling melancholy" she sighed. "Hey, I have an idea, let's go watch old home movies of Clarke again. Those are funny!" she arched her eyebrows. "I'm going to tell her you said that" he threatened. "Go ahead" she shot back "I have a running list of things I'm going to tell her…" she retorted.

Clarke and Roan looked around, they were sure they were actually in Polis, but the building that once stood tall in the sky had been reduced to piles of ash and soot. Pieces of buildings jutted out here and there, but they had a hard time pin pointing where the bunker might be; Not that they could open it, even if they found it. Maddi chose today to be a normal five-year-old and was rolling in the ashes. "When they said from the ashes we will rise, I don't think that is quite what they had in mind" Roan chortled. "Where on earth are we going to be able to get her cleaned up?" Clarke sighed. They heard a solid _clunk_ when Maddi's backpack knocked against something solid. Roan looked at Clarke who nodded in agreement.

They dug a little careful not to move the ash too much. There was no telling what was actually under there "I found it" Clarke exclaimed. Roan and Maddi came running over. "I think you did" Roan agreed "We need to mark this, so we can find it next time." They looked around, but didn't really see anything of significant weight stay in position, so Roan dug through the ash and soot, finally placing his hand on a solid beam. He raised the beam and handed it to Clarke.

It wasn't much, but if they could wedge it somehow and attach a flag of sorts, they would know where to return to. They tore a piece of fabric off Maddi's pack and tied it to the beam, then Roan poked the beam around in the ash until the metal sunk into the ground and stayed. As it happened, the piece of material they ripped off had the insignia of the ark, so if the bunker was opened before they came back, the people inside the bunker would hopefully know where to go.

"Now somewhere under this mess is a little girl" Roan remarked turning to face Maddi "what do you say we find her?" he laughed. Clarke rolled her eyes "where?" she asked looking around, "Clearly, there's no water anywhere near here" she cocked her head at him. "I know of a place that is nearby" he said "and if it is not viable, then I'm sure you do" he told her. "I know of a place, but its at least half a day away" she said. "So, we try my spot first, then use yours as a back-up" he said pointing her out of Polis. She shrugged "what have we got to lose?" she asked. "Then we can go find a place to sleep tonight" he said. "That I have covered" Clarke held up a hand.

They walked a few miles before Roan turned them into what once must have been a well-covered oasis of sorts. Water flowed freely into a pool. Clarke's jaw dropped "Is this even safe for us?" she asked. Roan shrugged "One way to find out" he said walking into the water, making sure the two of them stayed put. "Roan" Clarke called when he dove under. He came up a few feet away "yes, its safe" he held up his exposed hands "you cant be reckless like that" she scolded him, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry" he said "I didn't mean to scare you." She laughed "Is this what I do to everybody else?" she asked when She and Maddi joined him in the water. He laughed "probably, how does it feel?" he asked. "Terrible, remind me to apologize to Bellamy" she murmured "as soon as we find a certain little girl" he nodded picking her up and tossing her into the water. Maddi surfaced and shook her head "again" she squealed excitedly. "In a minute" he said advancing toward Clarke, an evil grin on his face "you wouldn't?" she tried to back up, but Roan caught her arm "I most certainly would" laughter glinted in his eyes "As I recall I owe you" he spoke with deadly silence. Hauling her up into his arms, he picked her up and tossed her across the pool. Clarke landed with a shriek and came up laughing. "Again" Maddi squealed "Oh no, I'm, good thanks, but by all means you two carry on" she shook her head.

While Roan and Maddi splashed around, she sat on the banks of the pool setting up her tower. It had been a few days since she talked to Bellamy. He was probably frantic with worry.

" _Hey Bell" she spoke into the mic "Sorry, it's been a busy couple of days, so much has happened that I can't wait to tell you, so I hope you have a while."_

"I have all night Princess" he said happy to hear her voice, Raven had been right again. Damn.

" _First of all, we found Polis, buried under lots of soot and ash There's barely anything left. We found the bunker, thanks to Maddi, who chose today to act like a five-year-old. She was rolling around in the ash and the soot and rolled against the metal door with her backpack. It looks airtight. We can't open it yet. It's too soon, but we marked it so we can find it again."_

Bellamy heard Maddi squealing and Roan's deep laughter in the background. He didn't think he'd ever heard the king laugh.

" _sorry if it's noisy" she apologized "Maddi was covered head to toe in ash, so Roan took us to a spot where we could get cleaned up. A pool of some kind, it must have been an oasis at one point. Of course he had to throw me in too, the snot"_

Bellamy gritted his teeth "hands off your highness" he growled. As was his luck, Raven walked in as she was talking and started laughing at him.

" _Anyway, we're going to leave here, as soon as I can convince the children to leave" she drawled "Were going to spend the night on the drop ship before heading back to the ark. It is still our best chance of survival, even with the limited food supply."_

" _Hey you have to apologize to him, remember"_ Bellamy heard Roan chime in. _"Oh yeah" Clarke laughed "I owe you such and apology" she sighed "Roan dove head first into the pool of water, without even knowing if it was safe or not. Scared me to death. But it also reminded me that I must've done that to you a million times, run headlong into danger without even thinking. I am so sorry. Thank you for keeping me alive every time."_

"Anytime princess" he sighed "anytime.

" _Okay, I have to go now. I think I can get Maddi out of the water easily enough, but the king is another matter. I swear he turns into a bigger kid than Maddi some days. It may be a few days before I can radio again, so don't drive everyone nuts worrying about it when you don't hear from me. I'll be fine. I promise Roan wouldn't have it any other way."_

"Shall I say it now or later?" Raven grinned. "Shut up Raven" he replied, but was grinning as he did so.


	19. Chapter 19

Clarke finally got Roan out of the water "Geez you're worse than Maddi some times" she shook her head. "And you need to learn to have a little fun" he retorted. "So, I've been told" she said "By more than one person." He dropped down to the ground beside her "maybe you should listen to them" he drawled. "you may have noticed I have a listening problem" she countered. "you don't say" he scoffed. Clarke Griffin was entirely too serious at times. In the past, she had reasons to be that way, but now there were no enemies to worry about or battles to fight.

"How far are we from your drop ship?" he asked. Wore out from playing in the pool, Maddi was fast asleep, her head sheltered on Clarke's thigh. "A half a day maybe" she shrugged. "I might know of someplace closer" he said "unless you're in a hurry to get back to the ark." She shook her head "No reason to be in a hurry" she tried unsuccessfully to cover up a yawn. Even though they had spent the last three years, literally alone on the planet and had gotten quite close, Clarke never asked for help or admitted a weakness.

He'd already seen her greatest weakness, which was to push herself beyond what her body or mind could handle. He supposed that was because she had to fight for everything from the time they were dropped down from space four years ago. There were other things about her that intrigued him, like when Maddi found that two-headed deer made out of twisted metal. Clarke did a great job of hiding that she'd already seen it when Maddi approached her, but he could tell right away it once had significant value to her. He also noticed she was different with Bellamy, he'd somehow managed to get past the walls she built that kept others from getting to close.

He'd been playing with Maddi most of the time she talked to him on the radio; But he would glance over at her while she talked to him. She was softer, less guarded. She was also sadder. He could tell she missed him a lot. They had never really talked about that relationship, but it had been clear to Roan even before praimfaya the two of them had a long history. They could form a plan and have an entire conversation with just a single glance between them. That kind of connection was rare and special.

He stood up, picked a still sleeping Maddi in his arms and held out a hand to Clarke. She took it and stood next to him "Come one" he said "I know of a place that is close and concealed, we can spend the night there and go back home in the morning." More tired than she cared to admit, Clarke grabbed her pack and followed him.

Bellamy sighed deeply "Is it bad that she I don't like that she feels safe with him? Or that she has fun with him?" he turned to Raven. "They have nothing better to do" Raven pointed out "for once in her life, Clarke Griffin has no battles to fight, no enemies to fear. She has never had that" Raven replied. "She's never been allowed to have fun" Raven continued "Unfortunately, for you, you're stuck here in space, while he is there. So no, its not bad, but that's our lives right now" Raven told him. He brushed his hands through his hair and dropped his chin to his chest "I hate this" he spoke softly. "we all do" she smiled at him "but this is our reality for at least the next two years" she sighed. The only people not entirely over living in space were Emori and Echo, who always seen space from the ground up. They still found little things to explore and get excited over, while the rest of them stared out the window wondering how they were going to endure the next 2-3 years.

"Any word from Clarke?" Harper appeared in the doorway. Raven nodded "she's fine, they couldn't make radio contact for a while, but they are going to stay on the drop ship tonight and go back to the ark tomorrow" she said. "Good" Harper sighed "Hey echo and Emori want to see the skybox, want to come with us?" she asked. Bellamy snorted "not a chance in hell, but you have fun" he said. "I'm in" Raven jumped up "I cant sit here all day waiting for the radio to make a noise." Bellamy shrugged "O is going to radio soon" he said "I want to be here when she does." Raven understood why he wanted to be there, but he really needed to do something besides sit at the radio all day. Maybe talking to Octavia would help him "okay, tell Abby I said hello" she told him before walking out of the room.

"So this was where they kept your prisoners?" Echo asked standing in a cell. This particular cell had drawings on just about every surface. "This person was a good artist" she murmured. "Still is" Harper corrected "this was Clarke's cell. She was in here for over a year after they floated her father" she said. "floated?" Echo turned to look at her confused. "killed" Raven replied "for planning to release the big secret that the ark was dying. Same reason Clarke was in here."

Echo still didn't understand the term floated "how do you float someone?" she asked. You know when we first got here and Raven suited up to take a space walk to the ship?" Harper asked. Echo nodded. "Well, when you were convicted of a crime, any crime it was punishable by death. To enact the punishment, they put you in the bay that we came in and opened the doors. Gravity took hold and your body was whipped away, instant death" she explained. "It happened to Bellamy and Octavia's mom too, as well as Murphy's father." Echo's face was grim "that's barbaric" she said. Raven shrugged "at least it was over quickly" she said, remembering how Finn would have died had it not been for Clarke.

"So you all lived here?" Echo walked out looking at all the cells, "everyone except Bellamy and Raven" Harper answered. "why not them?" she asked. "Bellamy didn't technically do anything wrong, he just kept a secret; Raven stayed out of trouble and made herself useful" she said. "Technically, I did break the rules" she corrected. "I did the unapproved space walk, but something went wrong coming back in and Finn took the blame since he was still under 18" she said. "I came down to earth because Abby had me fix a rocket to get her and I down here, but she got caught and couldn't come down with me." Harper sighed "and now we're back in space, in the sky box" she murmured softly "only this time, we aren't prisoners" she said. "Not that kind of prisoner anyway" Raven sighed.

Roan opened the hatch to the bunker he's initially found after faking his death in the conclave and climbed down the steps. Clarke followed carefully holding Maddi with one arm while using the other to clutch the ladder rungs once he declared the bunker to be safe. When she stepped off the bottom rung, she turned to look around. "Was this always here?" she asked. He nodded "This is where I hid after the conclave" he said "I stumbled on it by accident and locked the hatch to prevent being found" he climbed the rungs and locked the hatch, just to make sure they weren't disturbed.

Clarke looked around again "It wasn't big, but it would do for the night. There was only one bed, a small one at that. "You and Maddi can have the bed" he read her thoughts. She shook her head "The floor will be too hard, we can all share it for one night" she said. "It isn't that big" he disagreed. "No, but it isn't that small, either" she countered "besides its not like we haven't shared a bed before." Roan chortled "would it do me any good to keep arguing with you?" he asked. She shook her head "Think of it as me thanking you for taking care of us" she said. It was clear that he was not going to win this argument, she he dropped his pack and laid down on the bed as close to the wall as he could get. Clarke shrugged out of hers, still holding Maddi in her arms, the laid down next to him. Roan threw an arm around both of them to keep them from falling off the edge. Within moments all three of them were sound asleep.

"You had company today" Bellamy told Octavia when she called him on the radio. "company?" she asked confused. "yeah, outside the bunker in Polis" he told her. "Clarke was here?" she asked. "Yeah, she said Polis is buried under ash and soot, but they managed to find and mark the bunker. They're heading back to the ark though, apparently Polis was hit the hardest by the radiation. They think their chances of surviving are still better on the ark" he said. "Well I guess its good to know we can be found when the time comes" she snorted.

"How are they holding up?" she asked. "okay, from the sound of things" he told her about Clarke's message. Octavia laughed "It sounds like Maddi is keeping Clarke busy" she said. "apparently Roan isn't much better some days" he replied. "How are you doing?" he asked her. "I'm doing okay" she said "things have been better here, but people are starting to get bored." Bellamy knew the feeling, there were only a few things you could do when you were locked up in a place that couldn't be opened. "Do you ever wonder sometimes if they are the lucky ones?" he asked her. She snorted "all the time" she admitted "I mean yeah, they are barely surviving, but they aren't stuck in some bunker or stranded in space" she said. "I miss you Bell" she sighed. "I miss you too" he returned "it'll only be a couple more years though." She got quiet "O?" he asked. "I'm here, but I have to go" she sighed "people really get crazy when they get closed up don't they?" she asked. "A bit" he chuckled "but you can handle it. I love you O" he said. "I love you to Bell" she returned before breaking the connection.

"Bellamy" he heard Abby's voice come over the airway. "Yeah?" he answered "Clarke is here in Polis?" she asked. "She was, but they've left again. There is nowhere for them to stay and be safe, so they're going back to the ark" he told her. "Is she doing okay?" Abby asked "Is she happy?" He shrugged "She sounds like it sometimes, but other times, not so much. She is safe though, from what I can tell Roan does a pretty good job of taking care of both of them" he assured her. "Good" she replied, he heard the relief in her voice "I worry about her" Abby said. "Me too" he admitted "but there's not a lot either of us can do for her, so we have to trust that she is going to be okay and that Roan will take care of her." Saying those things hurt a little. "She's going to be different when we come back down, isn't she?" Abby asked. "We're all going to be different" he said. Abby knew he was right "I just wanted to ask about Clarke" she said "I'll let you go now. You guys take care of each other" she told him. "We will, take care of my sister" he returned. "You got it" she said, then signed off.

Bellamy sighed, he needed to get out of here for a while. "Take care of yourself princess" he spoke softly wishing he could talk to her directly. Setting the machine to record any incoming messages, he pushed away from the desk and left the room.


	20. Chapter 20

**** Day 1,467 ****

Somehow they had survived another year. Clarke watched Maddi and Roan train in the yard, a feast brewing in the pit. Slowly, the earth was beginning to inhabit itself. Maddi had declared that today would be her new birthday since she survived praimfaya on this day, so they were celebrating. She had grown another foot since just last month. "Is it time to eat yet?" Maddi ran up to her. Clarke looked at the panther Roan was roasting on the spit, "not yet" but there might be some algae inside" Clarke told her. Maddi shuddered and turned up her nose. "It may be gross" Clarke agreed "but until the panther is ready, it's your only choice." Maddi heaved an over-acted sigh and slumped into the ark, returning a few minutes later with some algae.

"I thought that was gross" Roan came over to sit on the other side of her. "Apparently, when you're hungry, anything will do" Clarke replied. Roan bobbed his head in agreement "there is that" he said. "It's hard to believe how big she is getting" he murmured as Maddi finished her algae and sat down on the ground a few feet away. She was sitting in the dirt drawing pictures with a stick. Clarke remembered when she used to draw. She had started to again recently, out of boredom or maybe she just missed her friends so much drawing them helped. Roan had noticed her drawing and while out on a day trip from the ark, he'd found some charcoal and gave it to her. Soot and ash left over from the radiation worked as well. It was nice that she could take something so ugly and create something so beautiful.

"What are you drawing doodlebug?" Clarke asked Maddi walking over to her. Maddi shrugged the sun, the moon, the stars" she said "Or at least what I think they would look like" she said. "The moon has craters in it and looks kind of like Swiss cheese" Clarke told her. Maddi cocked her head, clearly not knowing what Clarke was talking about. Clarke grinned "sorry, I forgot you don't know what that is" she apologized. She scooped out some of the wet dirt below the dust and shaped it into a ball, then used her fingertips to create random dips and smooth surfaces. "The moon would look something like this" she said. Maddi picked up a ball of we dirt and copies Clarke's design.

"Making mud pies?" Roan came up behind them. Clarke shrugged "nope just a little lesson on what the moon looks like" she said. Maddi held up hers "very nice" he praised her "but if you two want to eat, you might want to go wash up" he said seeing the mud caked on their hands. Maddi, who had already declared she was starving jumped up and ran to the basin Roan had constructed for them to wash in. "what about you?" he asked Clarke, who was still seated. "I'm working on it" she shook her head "I'm still a little sore." Roan snorted "I told you she was tough" he said reaching down and pulling her to her feet. Clarke had trained with Maddi the day before and got her butt handed to her. "thanks" she said walking to the basin with Maddi to wash her hands. Roan shook his head and returned to the spit to dish out their dinner.

Raven and Bellamy stood at the window, as they did every year on the day they'd first arrived on the ring. "Four years down, one to go" Raven murmured. "Is the ship ready to go back?" he asked her. Raven shook her head "we have to get our hands on some hydrazine, somehow" she said. "How do we do that?" he asked. They had survived this long on the hope that in five years, they would get back to earth. To Octavia. To Clarke. There wasn't much he wouldn't do to fulfill that last goal. "What about the corporation Alie was working with?" he asked "would they be up here still?" he asked. Raven had completely forgotten about The Elgin Corporation, anything to do with Alie really since it only brought up bad memories, but that could work. "One way to find out" she said "let's try to contact them, and see what happens" she said turning towards the hallway that lead to the communication room.

Raven fiddled with the radio trying every so often to access a different channel pausing to call out to The Elgin Corporation. Eventually she leaned back "sorry Bellamy" she sighed "We'll keep trying though." He abruptly stood up and began to pace "Dammit Raven, We didn't survive praimfaya to be separated from them forever" he spat out. "We have to get back. I have to get back to her, to them." Raven stood up and walked over to him "Bell, we have a whole year to figure something out. We will come up with a plan, we always do." She said blocking his path "what we don't need is for you to fall apart on us" she told him. "Haven't I always figured something out, even when it seemed like things wouldn't work out?" she asked hands on her hips. He sighed "Yes" he answered. "And I will this time too, so just relax and trust that I will get all of us back to earth, one way or another" she told him.

Bellamy sat down again, but Raven could see that he was still agitated. She could feel negative energy radiating off of him. "Go" she demanded "I don't care where and I don't care what you do, but I need to think and I can't do that while you sit here and simmer" she pointed to the door. Bellamy knew better than to argue when Raven took that tone, so he stood up and walked towards the door "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall apart" he sighed "I just need…' She looked up at him "It's okay, I understand. You need to get back to them, we all do and we will. I will get you home" she promised. Bellamy instantly felt like a heel. He knew his friends wanted to get home as bad as he did; even Echo and Emori were done with living in space. They just did better at distracting themselves than he did. "Thank you for putting up with me" he turned to look at her when he reached the door. She snorted "Tell Clarke she owes me" she scoffed "Well she does know a certain king, you know in case you wanted to hook up with him…" he chortled. "Goodbye Bellamy" Raven looked at the door pointedly. She heard him laughing down the hall.

Raven scoffed "hook up?" she snorted. It wasn't that a certain king wasn't nice to look at, but it wasn't like they had any history at all except for a few moments here and there on the island. On the other hand, she knew he took good care of Clarke, and he was a survivor. "Ugh" she sighed "Thanks Bell for that particular thought" she scoffed. So far, both she and Bellamy had managed not to become friends with benefits, and she intended to keep it that way. Clarke was too good of a friend to betray her like that. Besides, as much as she liked a little stress relief every now and then, Bellamy would only regret it later. He already bore the guilt of leaving Clarke on the island. There was no way he would be able to get over betraying her by sleeping with her best friend. "Arkadia to Elgin corporation" Raven spoke into the radio again. No response. She tried for about ten more minutes before giving up. She would spend some time researching more options, up to and including bringing the ring itself down if she had to.

Bellamy found himself in the skybox. He traced the drawings on the walls and floors. Clarke was really quite the artist. He wondered if she was still drawing things. Or had her life with Roan and Maddi opened her up to new things. In her last transmission a few days ago the three of them had spent some time taking a trip back to the island to get some things she hadn't been able to carry by herself. She said they spent a few days there, enjoying the sun and the sand of the beach. Apparently Maddi had never seen anything like it. Bellamy heard the happy laughter of the little girl as Clarke transmitted her message. Clarke also sounded happy. He hoped she would have room for him in her life when he came back down.

"Do I need to add this to the list of rooms you can't go to when you are feeling this way" Raven stood in the doorway. He smiled "I miss the sun, and the trees" he sighed. "Did you ever think you'd hear yourself say that?" she chuckled. He snorted "no, but then again who'd ever thought we would be back here" he looked around "willingly, even" Raven pointed out. "She really is quite the artist" Raven remarked. "Yeah, she is" he agreed. "We have to get back to her, Raven" he sighed, sitting on the bench "We will, even if it means bringing this whole damn rig down to do it" she squeezed his hand.

"That was so much better than algae" Clarke sighed leaning against the ark "don't tell Maddi I said this, but I hate that stuff" she laughed. "Me too" he agreed "but we should be good for a while now." They cooked part of the panther Roan had caught and were smoking the rest in the new smokehouse he'd built, so they would have that to fall back on. Slowly, very slowly, the berries and fruited trees were flowering and producing food they could eat. Clarke was teaching Maddi which ones they could eat and which ones had medicinal value. Between her and Roan, Maddi was becoming quite the expert on surviving.

Of course all that paled in comparison to what she was teaching them. They'd both become more tolerant, more playful. Clarke especially, though that had taken some time; nothing in Clarke's life had allowed her to just sit back and enjoy life. While Roan could still see times where she was deep in thought and missing her friends, he'd also seen her open up a little. He listened to the stories she told Maddi and began seeing glimpses of her childhood and her life. He could tell exactly where her experiences had changed her into the "Wanheda" he'd taken captive all those years ago. "What do you think?" he turned to look at her "do you have another year in you?" he asked her. She shrugged "Do we have a choice?" she scoffed. She took a deep breath "I'm sorry" she sighed "I should be thanking you, not acting like brat. I just…" she trailed off looking up at the sky. "It's okay, I get it" he said "you miss them. And it is that day" he said. She got this way every year on the day her friends left for the safety of space, leaving her behind. She made the decision to sacrifice herself, but it didn't make her any less lonely. "Hey" he took her hand in his and tugged gently on her arm "they'll be back soon" he promised. "Thanks" she whispered "for everything" she said. "You don't have to thank me Clarke" he told her looping an arm around her shoulder "we survived together. And it is okay if you occasionally get a little melancholy, I'd say you get to do that once in a while" he told her.

He looked down at Maddi, who slept with her head resting on Clarke's thigh. "I think someone else needs a break too" he said splaying his free hand in her hair, "why don't we pack a lunch and go to the hot springs" he said. Maddi had been a bit fussy lately "What do you say we take the day off, no training and go splash around?" he asked. "Can we do it after she wakes up?" Clarke asked. "Please don't wake her up" he scoffed. He'd made that mistake the other day and they both paid for it. "I'll go pack some lunches, you two stay here" he said "we'll go when she wakes up."

Clarke nodded "Can you get my radio?" she asked him. He stood and walked over to where her tower and radio lay in the ground and brought them over to her. "Thanks" she smiled at him, fiddling with the dials on the device. _"Hey Bell"_ he heard her say _._ Her tone sounded lighter than he knew she actually was, but he was going to try to fix that today with a little fun at the hot springs.

" _It's day 1, 467. Four years since I have seen any of you. Thank God for Maddi and Roan or I think I would be out of my mind. I guess he notices more than he says anything about. I got a little cranky today, and he said 'it is that day'._ _ **"**_

Bellamy heard her laugh a little, though it sounded sad to him.

" _We just got done with lunch. He hunted a panther yesterday. We roasted part of it and ate it today as Maddi declared today her birthday since she survived praimfaya on this day four years ago. The rest is smoking in the smokehouse he built the other day. I'm teaching her how to forage and what can be eaten as opposed to what can be used for medicinal purposes"_

"Well happy birthday Maddi" Bellamy said "I hope you had a good birthday"

" _Between my current mood, which is not great, and Maddi's cranky miss attitude this morning, we decided to take a trip to the hot springs today. No training or lessons, just the three of us going to blow off some steam. Honestly, I could use the hot springs, I took my turn at training with Maddi yesterday and she kicked my butt. I think I'll leave that to Roan."_

Bellamy laughed at that "a little out of shape are we?" he chortled.

" _With any luck, this time next year, we won't need a radio to talk. I love you Bell, I miss you. Give everyone my love. Tell my mom I said hello and that I am doing okay."_ Bellamy heard movement on the radio _"Are you talking to Bellamy again?"_ He heard another voice. _"Yeah I am. Do you want to say hello?"_

There was a moment of silence, followed by the same voice _"Hi Bellamy, you don't know me, but I have heard all about you"_ the child, Maddi he assumed, spoke _"don't worry about Clarke, Roan and I are taking care of her until you get back. We won't let anything bad happen to her."_

Bellamy smiled "thanks for that Maddi" he said "I can't wait to meet you."

" _Hey sprite, you're up"_ Bellamy heard Roan's deeper voice _"How do you feel about a trip to the hot springs"_ Bellamy heard him say. Maddi cheered _"Can we go now?"_

" _Well, I guess we're leaving now"_ Clarke came back on the radio _"Take care of yourselves, I'll see you soon."_

The line went quiet "One way or another you will" he promised to the empty room.


	21. Chapter 21

Raven was laughing so hard about Clarke getting her butt kicked by a seven year old that she nearly fell down. Bellamy just looked at her and shook his head "That. Is. Your. Best. Friend." He chortled. "Who got her ass handed to her by a child" Raven returned "Of course I'm going to laugh at her." He sighed, "it was kind of funny, I guess" he agreed. "So, how are they doing?" she asked him. "They seem to be doing okay, I guess" he answered "apparently Roan has built a smokehouse, so they are eating well and they discovered a hot springs nearby. They were going to 'blow off some steam' since Clarke and Maddi were both in bad moods." Raven sighed "Poor Roan, I bet he has his hands full with those two" she said.

"Any word from Elgin yet?" he asked her. "Not yet, but Monty and I have been working on another solution. Next time you talk to the bunker ask to speak to Kane, maybe he has some ideas" Raven suggested. He nodded "I will." Raven looked at him, it was clear he wasn't sleeping. "You need to get some sleep" she said "the question is will you do it by yourself or shall I make you?" He shook his head "I'm fine" he insisted stifling a yawn. "Do I need to use the mom voice?" she asked. He sighed "don't you have better things to worry about other than me?" he asked her. "As a matter of fact I don't" she countered, "Monty is currently researching the hydrazine shortage. So, the question I have to ask you is will you be sleeping in your room or mine?" she asked him. He took a long look at her "you choose" he said knowing either way he was going to lose the battle.

Roan laid his head back against the limestone rock that lined the hot springs. Sitting here in the water felt good. He told Clarke all the time about what a little warrior Maddi was becoming, but until she trained with Maddi she didn't believe him. He looked over at the two of them, sleeping on the lush foliage by the springs, Clarke's arms wrapped protectively around Maddi. Coming to the hot springs had been as much for the two of them as for him. The closers it got the five year anniversary of praimfaya, the more Clarke thought about her friend's returning. He hoped like hell they did come back next year or he'd need more than hot springs to cheer her up. As it was today, she played and splashed with him and Maddi, but it was a while before she actually let loose and enjoyed herself.

Clarke stifled a groan, she never wanted to wake Maddi when she was sleeping, the child had more energy in one pinky then Clarke could muster some days. Carefully disentangling herself from Maddi, Clarke padded silently to the hot springs and slipped in opposite Roan . "Feel better?" he asked. She shrugged "A little I guess" she replied "Thanks for today. I didn't mean to be a downer." He looked at her "I figured it was coming" he smiled at her. "Clarke, what if they don't come back right away a year from now?" he asked. She sighed "I don't know" she admitted "they only had enough fuel to get there, so I guess that's a possibility." He looked her in the eyes "and if that were to happen and you'd have to wait longer?" he asked. "I don't know" she admitted, her voice just above a whisper. He could see her holding back tears at the very thought of that happening.

"Hey" he said reaching across and taking her hand into his "Maddi and I aren't going anywhere, regardless of what happens a year from now. You'll still have us" he promised "even if you are in a really bad mood" he said. "Thanks, I think" she chortled. Maddi walked over to the edge of the springs and sat down between them "What's wrong?" she asked noticing how sad Clarke looked. "We were just discussing what would happen if Clarke's friends couldn't come back next year" Roan explained to her. "We're not leaving are we?" she looked at Roan "We can't leave her alone like that" Maddi looked between them. "No sprite, we won't leave her alone" he assured her "but she would need extra special attention if he friends couldn't make it back" he reassured her. Maddi moved to Clarke's side "I hope that doesn't happen" she said wrapping her arms around Clarke. Clarke sighed pulling the child closer "Me to Maddi, me too" she sighed "but its good to know that I will have you and Roan if it does" she replied. Roan made a mental note to make sure he had a backup plan in case things happened that way.

Bellamy shifted in his sleep drawing Raven tighter against him. They'd fallen asleep watching old family movies on the tiny couch in the Griffin quarters. She didn't figure he would get much sleep anywhere else, so they compromised and retired to the Griffin quarters to watch movies. They were barely half way through the first one when she heard him snoring softly. She wondered if Roan had as much trouble with Clarke as she did with Bellamy. Neither of them wanted to appear to be weak, so they kept everything inside; though neither of them hid things as well as they thought. Harper, Monty and Echo entered the room talking noisily. Raven hushed them pointing at Bellamy, who thank goodness hadn't been woken up by the noise.

They turned to walk away "you can come in, just be quiet" she whispered. They nodded and crept silently into the room. She handed Monty the remote and closed her eyes, with any luck they would be quiet enough for her to sleep too. Echo studied Bellamy and Raven, she knew they were close, but wondered if they were together. Bellamy was obviously in love with Clarke and Raven was her best friend, would they do that to her?

Harper followed Echo's glanced and shook her head "I'll tell you later" she mouthed to her. Monty eyed the silent conversation, clearly not understanding the non-verbal language the girls were speaking. Harper rolled her eyes and pointed to the couch where Raven and Bellamy slept, then back to Echo. He shrugged "what?" he spoke just above a whisper. Harper shook her head "Echo thinks those two are together" she returned. "Oh no" Monty shook his head "Bellamy would die before he hurt Clarke like that" he agreed. "This is how Raven gets him to sleep, otherwise he stays up all night and day in the communication lab waiting for Clarke to send another message." Echo nodded "aha" she was beginning to understand. "Will you please shut up and start the movie?" Raven muttered from the couch "I swear to God if you wake him up…" she trailed off. "Sorry" Monty whispered hitting the play button. The room lapsed into silence as the movie started.

"Do we have to go back?" Clarke sighed. She was having a hard time compelling herself out of the water. "its going to be dark soon, and while we could use more meat to smoke, we don't have any weapons to kill it with" Roan replied. "I'm coming, I'm coming" she said crawling out of the pool. Roan gathered Maddi and hers stuff while Clarke gathered he own stuff. He smirked watching her. "What?" she asked. He shook his head "what is it about women and all the stuff they have?" he asked looking between her and Maddi. "I think he wants to sleep outside tonight Maddi, what do you think?" she asked. Maddi grinned and nodded her head "Ok, I take it back" he held his hands up. Finally, they had everything packed up and were headed home.

"Are you okay?" Roan asked Clarke. She nodded "I'm fine, today is just hard" she said. "I know" he said "and I know you want your friends and Bellamy to come home, but until they do, and even after they do, Maddi and I will be here" he told her. "Thanks" she smiled up at him "I'm sorry, I don't always make the best decisions, especially when I am feeling emotional" she said. He grinned "you don't say" he chortled "Because I never would have figured that out…" Clarke laughed "Shut up" she retorted "I just wanted you to know that I am aware of the things you do and I hope you know I appreciate them" she said. "I know that Clarke, and I know things bother you that you don't necessarily want to talk about, but if and when you do, I'm here to listen" he told her. "I know that, and thank you for that" she said "and maybe someday, I will take you up on that. You might be sorry though" she warned. He laughed "I'll take my chances" he replied.

Raven sense that Bellamy was awake when his breathing changed and his grip on her loosened. "why do we always end up here?" he asked. "Because you actually sleep in here" she answered. "sleep is overrated" he grumbled "maybe, but you get grumpy and melancholy when you don't have enough" she retorted. "I feel close to her here" he said "that's why I can sleep here" he said. "then maybe you should sleep here. We can move the TV somewhere else" she suggested. "We just need to get home to her" he sighed. "We will Bell" Raven promised "I don't know when, but we will."


	22. Chapter 22

Clarke groaned the next morning, clearly, she had gotten too comfortable in the last four years. She got her butt handed to her by a seven-year-old. The bunker in Polis could potentially open in a year or so and she would need to be prepared to defend her home and her family. She walked out into the yard watching Roan train Maddi and walked over to him "I need to train with you two" she said. Laughter glittered in his eyes, but he resisted the urge to actually laugh at her "you don't say" he murmured. She shook her head "You're just dying to say it aren't you?" she sighed "Go ahead, say it." He grinned "you got your butt kicked by a seven-year-old" he obliged. "I may have gotten a little too comfortable" she said. "May have?" he arched his eyebrows. "Ok, you had your I-told-you-so-moment" she said "you can stop now." He laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm done now" he said.

"Hey sprite" he motioned for Maddi to join them "Are you ready to give Clarke another beat down?" he asked her. Clarke glared at him "what?" he asked innocently "if she can take you down, you're not ready to fight me" he pointed out. Maddi nodded in agreement. "You two are not holding anything back today are you?" she sighed. Roan shrugged "we've been holding back for a while now" he said wrapping an arm around her "it's time for the kid gloves to come off. Now go train with Maddi for a while. I'll get lunch and we can go sit in the hot springs later so you can soak your aching bones" he told her. "I took you down once your highness, I can do it again" she murmured elbowing him in the side. "Bring it on princess" he chortled.

He immediately felt bad for his word, when he remembered that was Bellamy's name for her. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking" he sighed. "No, its okay" she turned to face him "I was being a princess, and not in a good way. Thanks for taking care of me. I appreciate it" she smiled at him. "We took care of each other, and that won't change, not even when the bunker opens and your friends return from space" he assured her. "Now go get your butt kicked again "he smiled at her. Clarke stuck her tongue at him before turning to go train with Maddi.

Bellamy still sat in the communication room a lot, but instead of waiting for a transmission, he would call the Elgin Corporation. Raven and Monty were working on other solutions, so hopefully between the three of them; they could find a way home. His thoughts returned to Clarke often, that was probably because he had taken Raven's advice and moved into the Griffin's quarters. The TV had been moved to the dining hall so nobody could bother him when he actually did sleep. He did sleep better, but he also thought about her more, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Although it didn't help him to wonder what was going on with her and Roan. Thinking about that just made his head hurt.

"Have you been to bed lately?" Raven came into the room. "I slept there last night" he defended "Until?" She arched her eyebrows at him. Her question was met with silence, "that's what I thought" she said, "Are you going to kick me out?" he asked. "Eventually" she said sitting down beside him. She handed him an MRE. She knew for a fact he'd been in the communication room for several hours, and since it was only 10:00 in the morning, she also knew he hadn't eaten since last night. "Any word from her? Or anyone?" she asked. He shook his head. "It's been radio silence for a couple of days" he sighed. "Maybe they're hunting or something" she told him. He shrugged "maybe, but I would feel better if I heard her voice again" he replied. "She'll call soon, just be patient" Raven squeezed his arm. He snorted patience wasn't really his strong suit.

The radio crackled "Bellamy are you there?" Octavia's voice came over the radio. "He never leaves" Raven drawled into the mic. Bellamy rolled his eyes and grabbed the mic out of her hands "I'm here O" he replied "Is everything okay?" he asked. She usually radioed once a week late at night. "Yeah, we were just wondering if you've heard anything from Clarke recently" she answered. Raven and Bellamy looked at each other questioningly "We?" he asked, "Don't worry, it's just Abby and Kane and I?" she clarified. "I haven't heard from her for a couple of days, she was fine, sore, but fine" he laughed. "Sore?" it was Abby who asked "Is she okay?" she asked. "She's fine Abby" Raven assured her "She was training with Maddi and apparently Maddi kicked her butt" she laughed again. "Maddi? The little girl?" Abby asked clearly confused. "Yeah apparently peace has made her soft" Raven chortled.

Bellamy rolled his eyes "And Raven is loving it" Bellamy sighed snatching the mic back. "Last I heard they were celebrating Maddi's birthday with a fire roasted panther and a day at the hot springs" he told her "That's the last thing I heard from her" he sighed. "I'm sure she's fine" Abby told him. "And clearly they're finding food, so hopefully we can all be back together soon." Raven took the mic back "speaking of that" she said "we have a little problem here." The radio was quiet "problem?" this time it was Kane who spoke up. "We don't have any more hydrazine to get home with" she explained "any suggestions?"

"You went up there not knowing how you were going to get home?" Octavia demanded. "It was that or die O" Bellamy explained. "Well you'd better figure it out" she told him "because I for one want to get out of here and it sounds like we need help to do that." Raven reclaimed the mic. "Don't worry Octavia; we'll get out of here. We're working on some plans now" she told her. "You'd better come up with something" she told them "because there is no way in hell you are going to stay in space." Bellamy grinned "Believe me, I have no intention of that O" he sighed. "You'd better not" she muttered. "Hey, you guys need to come here" Murphy popped his head in the door. "We have to go O" he said "I love you" he told her. "I love you too big brother" she sighed "find a way to get home" she said. "We'll make sure he gets home" Raven told her. The radio went silent and they followed an impatient Murphy out of the room.

She had trained with Maddi all afternoon before Roan called for them to stop "We don't want to break her" he smirked walking over to help her to a nearby rock to sit on. "Don't enjoy this too much" she muttered. "I'll try not to" he laughed. "Eat" he said handing her some food "we'll go to the hot springs after lunch."

"UGH' Clarke groaned dropping herself into the hot springs "I am so out of shape" she closed her eyes. "Yes you..." Roan began to speak, but stopped when Clarke glared at him. "It's all your fault" she complained "you've taken too good of care of us." He snorted "no, you just learned to enjoy life a little too much" he shot back. "You may have a point" she agreed. "May?" he laughed "I'm pretty sure I do" he countered. "Gloat now" she glared at him "But I'm coming for you." He laughed "I'll hold my breath" he snickered. Clarke was too sore and too tired to argue with him. She closed her eyes and leaned against the limestone. The hot water felt so good.

Clarke woke up to the sounds of Maddi shrieking. She looked at her and Roan playing in the lush grass. "Oh look sleeping beauty is awake" Roan looked over at her. "How long was I asleep?" she asked. "About two hours" he said "We need to get on the road soon if you are up to it?" he said. She nodded "I'm ready" she said easing out of the water slowly. He laughed softly at her efforts before pulling her up to her feet. "Don't enjoy this too much" she sighed "I look forward to getting my butt kicked" he chuckled wrapping an arm around her waist and walking beside her. They arrived back at the ark and Maddi started playing in the yard.

"I'm glad she gets to be a kid some days" Roan said sitting down next to her. "Me too" Clarke sighed "Do you think things will change when the bunker opens?" she asked. "I'm sure they will" he replied "Which means you need to get back in shape." She smiled "Tell me about it. Raven is not going to let me live down that Maddi kicked my butt" she said. "Speaking of, I need to…" she hadn't even finished her sentence when Roan handed her the radio "It's been a few days" he said "I figured you'd want to talk to him. I'll give you some privacy" he said walking away. "Thanks" she shot him a grateful look.

 _Hey Bell, it's been a few days, sorry if I made you worry. I came to a realization today that I need to get back into shape. Roan told me I needed to train with Maddi before I was ready for him. He called me a princess"_

"Get your own nickname" Bellamy spat out "That one is mine."

 _He was right of course. I was being a princess, and not in a good way. I got entirely too comfortable the last four years. With the bunker opening, I need to get back into shape to protect my family. Roan may need someone to watch his back, and Maddi can take care of herself, but I need to be able to protect her too."_

"Your family?" Bellamy drawled "I hope you saved room for me" he sighed.

 _We're going to make it here. Roan caught another panther and we've been stockpiling berries and other plants, except algae. Maddi has declared she will never eat algae again."_

"Smart kid" he said.

" _Maddi has done a lot of things for me. She taught me how to have fun again. She teaches me every day that life is about more than surviving. You have to live too. She also taught me to appreciate my mom. I never really did before. I'll have to tell her that when I see her again. I hope she knows that I'm okay and that I love her"_

Bellamy heard the sadness in her voice "she knows" he said,

" _I hope you understand that Maddi and Roan will always be a part of me. We'll always be a family in some way. There will always be room for you, but they won't just go away. I don't mean to hurt you or make you wonder where you fit in, but the three of us have survived together for too long to just walk away when the rest of the world rejoins us"_

"I know that" Bellamy spoke softly "we'll make it work" he promised.

" _I miss you Bell. I love you. I hope you know that. Come back to me soon"_

"I will find a way back to you princess" he swore "If it's the last thing I do."

The radio went silent. Bellamy bowed his head, he needed to be with her, but since that wasn't an option at the moment, he would have to settle for feeling close to her. "I'm going to bed" he told Raven as she passed him entering the room. He had that look on his face, which meant Clarke had just left a message "Ok, good night" she called to his retreating back. Once he was out of the room, she replayed Clarke's message. "I'll get you home Bellamy" she promised "Whatever it takes to do so."


	23. Chapter 23

** Day 1,652 **

It had taken a few months but Clarke had finally gotten her strength back and had graduated to training against Roan. Maddi sat and watched as Clarke, not only held her own, but actually challenged Roan. She howled with laughter when Clarke took him down for the third time. He held his hands up "Mercy" he pleaded. Clarke grinned at him "holding out her hand. She helped him to his feet "What was that you were saying about me being a ten pound weakling?" she teased. He rubbed the back of his neck "not a bad recovery" he winced. She grinned, "Now who needs the hot springs?" she chortled. "Yeah, yeah, yeah" he grumbled "Welcome back Wanheda" he replied.

"We should take another trip to Polis soon" he said "See if we can dig out the bunker." Clarke nodded "Sounds like a plan to me" she said, "When do you want to go?" He shrugged "We'll go in a few months" he said, "Any sooner and we can't open the doors anyway." Clarke nodded "okay" she agreed. Clarke looked up at the sky, a wistful look in her eyes. "I wonder when they can come back down?" she sighed, "They only had enough fuel to get up there." Roan looked at her "Raven is up there, right? Isn't she some kind of mechanical genius?" he asked. Clarke nodded "She has gotten us out of my scrapes" she admitted. "Do you think she can get them out of this one?" he asked. Clarke nodded "She's pretty smart, so yeah I think she can do it."

He turned her chin to face him "than trust that" he told her softly. She nodded, but said nothing.

"What is so urgent?" Raven asked standing in front of the window overlooking the earth below. "The view is amazing" Murphy said, "it's like its clear enough to go home" he said. Bellamy shook his head "not for at least another six months" he replied. "Which is a good thing" Raven chimed in. The others turned to stare at her "Why?" Murphy asked what everybody else was thinking.

Raven took a deep breath "We barely had enough hydrazine to get us up here" she told them. "I haven't figured out how we are going to get home, yet?" she admitted. "Do you have a plan?" Harper asked. "Monty and I are working on it, and we are also trying to call the Elgin Corporation Alie was working with" she replied. "We will get home, I don't know when and I don't know how, but we will get home" she declared. "If you want to help, take turns radioing Elgin or anybody else that might be around here still" she told them. "Above all, don't lose hope. We took a chance that we would get here to survive praimfaya and we will get home" she assured them.

Five very nervous pairs of eyes met hers. "Have I ever failed to make something happen?" she asked them. "No" surprisingly, Murphy was the first one to speak up "you haven't. She hasn't" he turned to look at the others "and she won't this time, so whatever you need to say or tell yourself to get on board then do it" he told them. Raven shot him a grateful look; she appreciated his support, though it surprised her that it would come from him. "I don't want to be stuck up here anymore than the rest of you" she told them "among other things, I can't wait to meet the child who took Clarke Griffin down." The others laughed at that "but we are going to have to work together, like we did to get here." She told them. "It will happen. I don't know when or how, but we will get home."

The group fell into a silence as they gazed out the window to the world below. From this side of the view, they could see the damage praimfaya had caused. What was once a beautiful mix of orange, red and yellow, so pretty yet so deadly, had become a grayish-black spot, barely visible against the dark, starry background of space, with patches of green and blue here and there. "So where do we start?" Harper was the first to turn around. We need to find out if there is any hydrazine anywhere on this ship" she said "but our best course of action is to spend every waking moment calling somebody, anybody on the radio. If anybody is still out here, we need them. Be careful how much information you divulge though," she cautioned, "we don't know who or what might be out here. We may have to fight our way home."

"Whatever it takes. Were ready," Echo looked at her. She'd taken it upon herself to make sure everybody was keeping up on their training just in case they would have to fight once they got back to earth. Nobody truly knew what was going to happen, especially with Echo, Emori and Roan, who were all outcasts in one way or another. In a strange, yet comforting way, the seven of them, plus Roan, Clarke and Maddi had become a family.

There had been no contact between the seven of them and the three who were lucky enough to not be imprisoned in a bunker or in space were separated from every other human being. Life had surely changed for the 1,200 in the bunker, a life none of them had been a part of. Plus, Echo, Emori and Roan were already outcasts for various reasons to begin with. None of them knew the challenges they would face returning to earth, to Polis, but they knew they would need to stick together to overcome whatever it was.

"I know it's a lot to handle, and we don't have to start tonight" Bellamy addressed them "but we do need to keep working together, even when we get back to the ark, to Polis" he told them "and that is going to include working with Clarke and Maddi and Roan" he looked specifically at Echo when he mentioned the latter. "Praimfaya was the great equalizer, whatever happened four and a half years ago no longer matters. What matters is that we, this family and the one that survived below stick together," he told them. "That means we also protect Clarke, and Maddi and Roan as well."

Nobody spoke, but the others nodded at him "Tonight we do the same thing we have been doing" he told them "but starting tomorrow find a way to help achieve our common goal of going home." There was some murmuring, and slowly people began to scatter. Eventually it was only Echo and Bellamy standing there. "Roan wont be happy to see me," she told him. He looked at her "He just might surprise you" Bellamy told her. "Roan didn't expect to survive the conclave, and I bet he didn't expect to see Clarke, or Maddi" he replied "but it's been a long time and a hard survival for all of us. I wouldn't assume anything beyond that."

The look in her eyes told him she wasn't certain of that fact as he was. "Echo, I think we have come a long way the last four years" he said. "I mean if you had told me that you and I would be stuck on the same ship in space for four years without one of us trying to kill the other, I would never have believed it; but we did" he told her. " And if the connection you had with Roan was that much stronger, you shouldn't expect any less." She sighed, "I guess you're right" she said "Are you ready to accept him for the big part he is going to play in your life with Clarke and Maddi?" she asked him. He snorted "I'm still working on that one, but I know he isn't going anywhere, so…"he trailed off. "Look we have a lot of time to work those things out" he told her "lets focus on getting home, the rest will take care if itself." She nodded "Okay" she said turning to look out the window.

They stood quietly for a few minutes "you know Harper and I have noticed that Raven might need a strong, available, guy when we get back" she grinned at him. He laughed, "Already working on that" he said, "The king might need to be distracted because if he thinks for a hot second he can have my girl…" Bellamy trailed off. Echo laughed, "How did I know you would already be on that?" she shook her head. "Hey, I'm just looking out for Raven" he shrugged walking toward the dining hall. "Uh-huh" Echo grunted following him.


	24. Chapter 24

Raven and Bellamy had lots of help over the course of the last two weeks. Somebody was always at the radio making calls, listening for responses. No one was close to the point where they were losing hope, but it was fair to say each of them struggled with discouragement. Monty, Raven and Harper spent a lot of time in engineering making sure the rocket was ready to should they find the hydrazine to fly it. The others took turns at trying to communicate with anything, anyone that might be listening who could help them. That is, when Bellamy left his post long enough to let them. Clarke's messages, which once came every day, had been sporadic at best. He didn't know what was going on, but he did know that he needed to hear her voice again.

Echo sat down beside him "any word?" she asked taking the mic from him. He shook his head "Radio silence" he sighed. "I meant from Elgin" she clarified; everybody knew that look that he wore when he was waiting for a message from Clarke. "Nothing from them, either" he chuckled. With Raven being so busy with getting the rocket ready, she had declared herself Bellamy's keeper. It was usually her who sent him on his way when he was getting too moody or wrapped up in himself. "Ok, go away now" she shooed him off. He looked at the door, but didn't budge "GO" she repeated more forcefully "If Clarke sends a message, I will send someone to come get you" she said pushing him. He sighed, he knew this was a battle he wasn't going to win "Fine" he said getting out of the chair "you know where to find me."

Clarke was tired. Together, she, Roan and Maddi trained every day, then they foraged collecting enough food and rations to get them through the winter and feed anybody else that might join them in six months. Roan could tell their current schedule was wearing on her. He could also tell that she hadn't talked to Bellamy for a while. Even though she wasn't sure they were actually getting her messages, it made her feel better to talk to him. "I'm going to pack a lunch, then we are going to the hot springs" he said walking over to her. Maddi was playing a little further away "Why don't you get her ready, then we can go" he suggested. She nodded; he did a good job of taking care of both of them. Probably a better one than she deserved since the relationship they had built would be compromised when Bellamy came back in a year or so.

"I needed this" Clarke sighed with her head leaned back against the limestone. "I know" he said looking at her "you also need to talk to Bellamy" he said. "I don't even know if he is getting my messages" she said softly. "Maybe or maybe not" Roan bobbed his head in agreement "but it makes you feel better, and if for no other reason than that you should talk to him" he told her. "When did you become so wise" Clarke scoffed. He rolled his eyes "I was always wise, you just thought you knew better" he retorted.

Maddi jumped in the water with a splash and curled up next to Clark "I'm hungry" she said looking at Roan. He laughed "you're always hungry" he shot back, reaching for some meat on a skewer. Maddi took it and ate it hungrily. "Slow down sprite" Roan cautioned "we have to make the food last or its back to eating algae again" he said. Maddi shuddered and made a face "eww" she said. The thought alone was enough to slow her down. Clarke laughed and snaked an arm around her waist "don't worry Maddi, we have plenty of food" she assured the child, shaking her head at Roan.

Clarke looked down at Maddi, who looked very sleepy. "Come on doodlebug" she said climbing out of the water "why don't we take a nap" she suggested. "I'm too old for naps" Maddi countered, but followed Clarke anyway. Despite her protests, Maddi was asleep almost immediately, curled against Clarke. Clarke brushed the hair out of Maddi's eyes "What's going to happen to her?" she asked. Roan looked at Clarke "what do you mean?" he asked. "When the bunker is opened" Clarke explained "You're supposed to be dead, and they didn't even know Maddi existed" she said. "Well, I'd like to think that bygones would be bygones" he said "but if it comes to a battle I am both a king and a nightblood" he pointed out. "As for Maddi, nothing is going to happen to her. I will personally see to that" he swore, there was a steel quality to his voice.

"It's funny how you can come to love someone you didn't even give birth to" Clarke murmured. "Makes you wonder what you mom must be thinking about you, huh?" he asked. He had gotten out of the water and was sitting next to her. "I bet she misses you" he said. "I miss her too" Clarke sighed. "Are you worried about Bellamy accepting her?" he asked. "A little" she admitted, "but he's going to have to because I'm not giving her up, or you" she looked at him "We're a family too; he's just going to have to deal with that."

Roan looked at her, he'd come to see it that way, but since Bellamy was one of the things she didn't like to talk about they hadn't ever discussed this topic. "I hope he sees it that way" he said. Clarke shrugged "Bellamy is a little hard-headed, but he eventually sees things my way" she said. Roan snorted "More like he lets you roll right over him and deals with the consequences later" Roan scoffed. "Is that a bad thing?" Clarke grinned. "Sometimes in your case, yes" he replied. "Whatever" she rolled her eyes. He laughed and laid his head down next to Maddi. He too, was asleep a few minutes later.

Clarke looked at the two of them. They were not the family she had been born into. They weren't the family the 100 had become; And Roan was definitely not Bellamy, but these two people had been her world for the last four and a half years. In the name of survival, they had become a family and she would defend them as staunchly as she would Bellamy or any of the 100; Even if it meant standing up to her mom or Bellamy to do so.

Clarke's last words swirled in Bellamy's head. Roan and Maddi had become her family in the last five years. They'd survived together when each of them should have died. They were bound to have a very strong bond. While Bellamy didn't see the problem with accepting Maddi's place in Clarke's life, Roan was another matter altogether. He was the other half of the mom and dad relationship to the child that Clarke had filled. They may not be romantically involved, or at least he hoped they weren't, but their joint relationship to Maddi meant Roan would always be a part of her life. Of course, Echo did have a point; Raven was long overdue for a strong, stable guy to be a part of her life. And who better than Roan to fill that void.

As if reading his thoughts, Raven walked into his room "Get booted out of the lab?" she asked. He nodded "Echo has appointed herself my keeper in your busyness" he replied. "Good for her" Raven laughed. "She and Harper have also decided you need a strong, handsome man, a certain king is not out of the question" he chortled. "The men I get involved with tend to end up dead" she pointed out. Bellamy snorted "Well lucky for you King Roan of Azgeda appears to have nine lives" he countered "so even if he dies when you meet him, he still had six left." Raven narrowed her gaze "you're just saying that so you can deal with his presence in Clarke's life" she rolled her eyes at him. "And the problem with that is…" Bellamy drawled. "Can we discuss something more important?" she sighed "like how the hell we're going to get off this ring?" she asked dropping down beside him.

Bellamy draped an arm around her. "You will figure something out, or someone will hear our SOS calls" he assured her. "Things will work out, they always do. Maybe what you need is to sleep?" he suggested pulling her against him "you haven't done much of that lately." She sighed "who has time to sleep?" she replied. "Make time" he told her "I'm trying to get us home, to our family and friends" she countered. "I want to get home as bad as you do" he told her, "maybe even worse, because I am dying to see what Roan is doing with Clarke, but we don't have to get back exactly five years after praimfaya" he told her. "We can go back when it is safe for us to do so."

Raven was quiet, but he could tell she wasn't asleep "You won't hate me?" she asked. He shook his head "Raven, you have saved our butts more times than I can count. You will do it again, when the time is right, but not if your brain is overtired" he told her. "For now, get some sleep, we can both use it, and with everybody else pulling their weight, we have the time" he told her. "Thanks Bell" she sighed "I don't know what I would have done without you these four years" she told him, threading her fingers through his. "Back at you Reyes" he said "now be quiet and go to sleep."


	25. Chapter 25

**Day 1,742**

Nobody was surprised to see Raven sleeping in the Griffin's quarters with Bellamy. She had been working hard to get them home while barely sleeping. Throughout their time on the ring, Bellamy and Raven rarely sought comfort from anyone other than each other. It was almost like they needed the others to think they were strong since they had become the leaders in the group, so in moments of weakness they turned to each other. "Let them sleep" Harper whispered "neither of them do enough of that." They quietly backed out of the room.

"Do you think they wanted anything important?" Bellamy whispered in case Monty and Harper were still in the hall. Raven shook her head "they would wake us up if that was the case" she said. They hadn't actually been awake for too long, but neither of them were quite ready to face the day. It had been three months and they were no closer to a solution for getting home then they had been the last time Clarke had sent a message. It wasn't long or full of details, but she still sounded good. Truthfully, Bellamy just needed to hear her voice, regardless of how much or how little she had to say. Her voice kept his hope alive.

Clarke looked up at the sky, they had three months before it was safe to come back, but would they come right away? Or would they have to come up with a plan that would take them longer. "Tell me about your friends" Maddi sidled up beside her. "Who do you want to know about?" Clarke asked her. "Raven" Maddi answered "what's she like?" Clarke sat down next to her on the ground. "Raven is very smart. She knows everything about engineering and radios" Clarke told her. "Does that mean she can make your radio work?" Maddi asked. Clarke laughed, both Maddi and Roan had zero trust in her ability with anything that even resembled tech "yeah, she can and when she does, you can call and talk to my mom." She said.

Maddi had lots of questions about Abby as well, "Is she pretty?" Maddi asked. "She is very pretty" Clarke agreed. "Will she like me?" Clarke nodded "all of my friends will like you, but especially Raven" she answered. "She will love that you were able to beat me in a fight." Maddi grinned "that was fun" she laughed. "For you maybe" Clarke grumbled "I was sore for a week." That had all changed. The three of them trained every day. Not knowing what was going to happen made that a priority.

"Where is Roan?" Maddi asked. "Hunting, he wants to stock up before winter" Clarke told her. "Tell me about Bellamy" Maddi cocked her head up at Clarke. "What do you want to know about Bellamy?" she replied, her face lit up when she said his name. "Like why you smile when you talk about him, but look said when you are thinking about him?" she asked, "You noticed that, huh?" Clarke smiled. "Bellamy is complicated" she sighed, "He's got a gentle soul, but the way he was raised helped him to make the choices he does. Also, he doesn't always think before he speaks" she shook her head. "Does he like kids?" she asked. "Yes, he does" Clarke told her "and he will love you because I do" she stroked Maddi's hair. "Will he love Roan?" she asked. Clarke snorted, "They already know each other and there is no love lost" she chuckled, "but he knows that we are all together, and that we are staying together, even after they come back."

"My friends, both those in the bunker and those in the sky are no threat to our family" she took Maddi's hand in hers "you, me and Roan, we will always be a family, in one way or another. And you will always be our priority" she assured the child pulling her into a hug "even more of one than Bellamy" she promised. "I love you" Maddi whispered against her shoulder. "I love you too kiddo" Clarke sighed "Thank you for saving me."

Roan walked back into the compound at that times "Everything okay?" he asked seeing tears in Clarke's eyes. She smiled and nodded "we're okay, right Maddi?" she said loosening her grip on the child. Maddi nodded "did you find anything for dinner?" she asked. Roan grinned and pulled out three baby rabbits hanging down his back. "Yeah!" Maddi cheered. "Its not like you were going to have to eat Algae for dinner" Clarke rolled her eyes. Maddi shrugged "I know" she replied "but he makes really good rabbit" she gazed adoringly up at Roan. Clarke laughed "someone is really laying it on thick" she said. Roan grinned; "Well someone has to love me" he scoffed. "And on that note" Clarke stood up "I'll leave you two to work on dinner" she said. Picking up her radio and walking a few feet away.

"She's going to call Bellamy, isn't she?" Maddi looked up at him. "It's about damn time, too" he said "she's been in a bad mood for a couple of days" Roan murmured. "She's worried about them not coming back isn't she?" Maddi asked. He nodded "and with good reason, they only had enough fuel to get up into space, getting back could be tricky" he told her "which means Clarke is going to need some extra special care for a little bit, you think we can handle that?" he asked her. Maddi nodded "we can, but can we do it after dinner?" she asked. He laughed "yes, your highness" he chortled taking her hand, but I caught it and I will cook it, so you have to clean it," he said handing her the rabbits. "Okay" she said taking the knife out of the sheath around her waist and reaching for the animals.

Clarke picked up the radio as she gazed into the stars

" _Hey Bell" she sighed, "I know it's been a while since I talked to you. We've been busy prepping for winter. Well actually Roan has been. Me? I've been doing what I do best, letting my troublesome thoughts get me down. Maddi asked me about you today. She asked why I always look so sad when I look up at the sky. I tell that kid misses nothing. She is worried that you, that none of you will like her and that Roan will have to leave when you come back. I promised her he wasn't going anywhere. That's a promise I intend to keep. I hope you can live with that."_

"Don't worry Princess, we'll figure something out" Bellamy sighed; He'd already resolved himself to the fact that King Roan of Azgeda wasn't going anywhere.

" _See Maddi and Roan, they're not just my family. They saved me, they took care of me; they still are, he just told her that I was going to need some extra special care if you guys didn't come back right away. I assume that's probably going to happen seeing as you had just enough fuel to get up there. I mean you have Raven and she is smarter than anyone else in the world."_

"Of course I am" Raven walked into the room. "What's the topic tonight?" she asked. "Maddi is concerned that we are not going to like her and that Roan is going to get run off. Clarke promised her that wouldn't happen" Bellamy shook his head.

" _Look Clarke"_ Bellamy head Maddi in the background _"Roan let me clean the rabbits."_ Clarke held up her hands _"He caught it and cooks it therefore you clean it?" she questioned. "Well get to it kiddo, I'm hungry" Bellamy_ heard her say. _"God, I love that kid" Clarke sighed. "She is more brave than I ever thought about being, and oh so fearless. Roan caught her climbing the tower the other day and about had a cow. She just laughed at him and waved."_

"Poor Roan" Raven chuckled. "He really does have his hands full with those two."

 _I hope you guys come home soon. I'm not expecting you right away, so don't hurry and do it the wrong way. Roan and Maddi will take care of me until you get here. We are going to Polis in a few weeks to see if we can continue digging the bunker out. I think it's really a ploy to distract me, but hey I'm up for a road trip."_

Bellamy heard the smile in her voice. Clearly, Roan was good to her and needed to have a place in her life, not to mention Maddi's. "She doesn't deserve him" Raven chortled. "Applying for the job?" he asked, smiling at her.

" _Oh Lord," Bellamy heard her say "They're playing with fire. I swear these two will be the death of me" she sighed. "I have to go before they catch something on fire. I love you all. Please come home soon"_

"We're doing our damnedest" Bellamy said, "We love you too." 


	26. Chapter 26

"Well she sounds liked she is doing okay?" Raven remarked after the radio went dead. "Yeah, she does" he agreed. "We need to get home to her… to them" he corrected "I guess Roan really isn't going anywhere, is he?" he asked. "Not from the sounds of it" Raven agreed. "But hey it could be worse, at least it doesn't sound like they are romantically involved" she shrugged. "No, not romantically, but they are tied together through Maddi" he replied "and sometimes that can be an even more binding bond." He thought of Charlotte, whom they had both bonded with all those years ago. She was the first person to put the two of them on the same side of any one issue. Her death hit both of the pretty hard.

"Maybe" Raven agreed "but you and Clarke are pretty well bonded already. "Were pretty well bonded" he corrected "she has been with him longer than she was with me. What if that bond is stronger?" he asked. "What if we focus on getting home, rather than answering questions we may never have answers to" she countered. He sighed "okay, let's do that" he said. "I've been thinking, maybe instead of contacting any one person or place, we should send out an SOS" he suggested. Raven arched her eyebrows, that is a great idea" she said "How come I didn't think of that?" she asked, Bellamy laughed "because your brain doesn't work that way" he chuckled "there is nothing scientific about an SOS." he answered. Raven supposed he was right. "Ok, you work on the SOS, I'll use my brain to come up with something equally as brilliant. Don't worry Bell, we'll get home soon. Until then, she is in good company." He snorted, he wasn't sure Roan was what he considered 'good company', but he was clearly taking care of her.

Clarke gazed out into the darkened sky. After nearly five years, the skies were finally starting to be clearer, you could actually see the stars. She knew that mean that it would soon be safe for her friends on the ring to come down; but she also knew that it may be a while before they could. They went into space not knowing how they were going to make it back down, but it was still their best chance at surviving praimfaya. "It's good to see the stars again" Roan said sitting down beside her.

"Did she get to sleep?" Clarke asked. He nodded Most of the time Maddi acted very much like a little adult, but she still didn't like going to sleep at night. They theorized about why. Was she just being a kid, like she should have been allowed to be if not for praimfaya? Or was there something more to her aversion to sleeping in her own bed? Usually, she slept with Clarke, but tonight Clarke had chosen to sit outside and watch the stars.

"They probably won't be back right away, will they?" she asked. "Not if what you say about their fuel situation is right?" he agreed. "Are you going to be okay with that?" She scoffed "Do I have a choice?" she asked. "Not really" he agreed "Don't worry about it" he said slinging an arm over her shoulders "Maddi and I will be here." Clarke shook her head "Playing with fire?" she rolled her eyes "literally." He grinned "Dangerous yes, but it was fun" he told her. "Some days I wonder about you" she sighed. He just laughed and leaned back against the ark, both of them enjoying the contented silence.

Clarke woke up the next morning, Maddi once again wrapped around her body. He smiled playing with the matted curls on the child's head. "Good morning sunshine" she spoke softly. Maddi didn't verbally answer Clarke, but she did open her eyes and smile sleepily at her. "I missed you last night" Maddi said laying her head back down onto Clarke's stomach. "What are you going to do when this bed isn't big enough for both of us?" she asked. "sleep on the floor" Maddi returned without hesitation. Clarke grinned at her answer. She'd been telling Bellamy all along that Maddi was going to be a permanent fixture in their lives; but she was willing to bet he hadn't considered that she would be a permanent fixture in their bed. Assuming of course, he had not already moved on with somebody else in the last five years. Bellamy Blake could and had at one point been a pretty good man whore. "You are a funny child" Clarke sighed.

"Is there room in there for one more?" Roan stood in the doorway smiling at them. Maddi edged over forcing Clarke to do the same and Roan sat down on top of the covers. Clarke sighed and sat up, pulling the covers over her top half. Maddi scooted in the middle to sit between them. "How do the two of you feel about a trip to Polis?" he asked. "Can we go play in the water while were there?" Maddi asked. Clarke laughed "I'm sure we can" she agreed, but try not to roll on the soot and ash too much" she pleaded. Maddi had taken soot and ash everywhere she went for days after they returned from polis. "O the other hand, we would not have found the bunker if not for all that rolling around" Roan pointed out. "Next time you can clean up the soot and ash" Clarke retorted. Roan grinned "okay, so you might have a point" he agreed. "So, we're going then?" Maddi asked. Clarke nodded "we're going" she confirmed. "We'll leave in a couple of days and stay for a week or so" Roan said "See if we can dig out the bunker."

The day before they were to leave for Polis Clarke took her radio outside. She wanted to get a message to Bellamy, to let them know where they were if by some chance they did manage to come down while they were away; but also to let him know she wouldn't be near the radio much for a few days. She wasn't entirely sure they were even getting her messages, but on the off chance they were, she was going to keep trying.

 _Hey Bell, it's a few days before the five-year anniversary of praimfaya. It will be safe for you to come down, but I somehow doubt that you will. Even so, I wanted to let you know we won't be at the ark. We're going to Polis. Roan said we'll probably stay a few days and since it is a two day journey on foot, we'll be gone for at least a week. Maddi is excited because she gets to play in the water at the Oasis, but Roan and I are a little nervous since we haven't been to Polis for nearly two years. Hopefully, it hasn't decayed even more than it was._

 _There is no signal at Polis. The city is completely destroyed, so I won't be radioing you while we're gone. We have too much other equipment to take with us to also take the radio. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Use all that pent up energy you're bound to be storing to find a way home. I'll radio you when we get back home. I love you all and I will see you soon._

"Good luck at Polis" Bellamy uttered when the radio went dead. Maybe they could get to Polis and get into the bunker. Although he hadn't heard anything from the bunker for a few weeks either, so they wouldn't know she was even there. If the city was as destroyed as she said it was no wonder her wasn't able to communicate with them. 'pent up energy' didn't begin to describe his mood lately, but she did have a point. He could put that to good use and maybe get them home sooner.

He knew they weren't going back to the ark yet, as no one had managed to find a solution to getting them home. Morale was low and getting lower, but so far people had managed to keep their behavior in check. Barely, at times, but they had.

Raven came into the room "any word from anyone?" she asked. "Clarke sent a message; they're going to Polis and will be out of reach for at least a week. Apparently, the city is in total ruins, so they are going to try to dig the bunker out" he answered. "She told me to use my pent up energy to find a way home" he smirked. "That's good advice and why I'm here actually" she agreed "So come with me and we'll do just that." Bellamy sighed and walked over to Raven, following her out of the lab.


	27. Chapter 27

Clarke, Roan and Maddi had been at Polis for nearly a week when they finally started making some progress. They agreed to stay another week to see if they could make more progress. So far Clarke had managed to say positive, though Roan kept a close eye on her. He'd learned a long time ago that she was not going to tell him when something was bothering her. They decided to camp out at oasis since the weather was nice enough and it was close to the bunker. Maddi loved the idea because she could play in the water to her hearts content.

At the moment, she was splashing around in the water while Clarke and Roan kept an eye on her. "What do you think?" Roan turned to look at her "a couple more days then we go home?" he asked. Clarke nodded; "even if we find the bunker door it has to be opened from the inside, and without a way to contact them." she trailed off.

Roan heard the defeated tone in her voice, now he knew they would be heading home soon. Keeping her in this environment would not be helpful to her morale. "Hey" he turned her to face him "sooner or later someone will open the door, and you will see your mom again" he told her. She nodded "I know, but when?" she sighed. He shrugged "whenever, in the meantime, you still have us" he reminded her. "I know" she replied "and that helps, it really does, I just miss her." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders "I know" he sighed pulling her to his side "but you just have to hang on until she comes out" he told her.

Bellamy paced around the lab "She said they'd be back in a week, and we haven't heard a word" he said clearly upset. "Maybe they got in the bunker or maybe they got close and stayed a few days longer" Raven suggested. "Its not like they can contact us to tell us that" she pointed out. Bellamy shot her a dirty look "Tell me something that helps me Raven" he shot back. She ignored his tone "She's okay. She's with Roan, remember and he isn't going to let anything happen to her. " The sour look on his face did not change "I said tell me something helpful" he growled.

Raven walked over to him "Bellamy Blake" she started standing chest to chest with him "That is the most helpful thing I can tell you right now. You know she is safe with him. Attacking me and anyone else on this ship will not make Clarke contact you any sooner. So either you change your attitude or I will change it for you" she declared.

Bellamy sighed "I'm sorry" he apologized "I don't mean to take things out on you or anyone else, I just need to know she is okay" he said. "Just believe that she is Bell" Raven said in a softer tone "because she probably is." He closed his eyes, "Give me something to do," he pleaded "anything, just so I can get my mind off of her." Raven sighed "Come with me, I have just the task for you" she said tugging at him. He allowed her to drag him out of the room.

Clarke's shovel hit something solid as she attempted to scoop more ash and soot. Her head turned to meet Roan's gaze. He dropped his own shovel and joined her "It's the entrance to the bunker" he said, "We found it." Clarke grinned, "Now all we have to do is get somebody to open it," she said. "And find a way to keep it from getting buried again" Roan added. "Stay here" he told them. He was gone for about twenty minutes and returned with some sticks and panels he'd scavenged in the city. Building a makeshift gate around the door, he secured it with some rope "that should keep anything from falling in on it" he said reaching down for Clarke's hand to pull her out.

"Should we bang on it or something?" she asked. "They wont hear it," he said "come on Clarke, lets go home. We'll come back on about six months," he said still holding his hand down. Clarke sighed placing her hand in his. As much as she hated it, she knew he was right. "Okay" she agreed "and in if they get out in the meantime, they know where to find us." He said nodding in the direction of the skaikru flag waving proudly above the door. Casting a fleeting glance at the door, Clarke allowed Roan to lead her away. Maddi joined them and they returned to the oasis where they would spend the night before heading home in the morning.

Bellamy lay down on his bed and sighed. He was so tired. Raven had him cleaning out the weeds on the algae farm. It was dirty, hot, tiring work, but it did distract him from thinking about Clarke…for a little bit. But now, lying in his bed after a quick shower, she was all he could think about. "Feel better?" Raven collapsed beside him. Laying face down on his bed, he shook his head. "Do you want me to leave?" she asked him.

Again he shook his head. He rolled over on his side and looked down at her "I'm trying, I really am" he sighed. "I know" she replied "its been a long time, and knowing that we could get down there is we had fuel is nearly unbearable, but we will get home Bell" she said "and the time you spent apart will be nothing to the time you will spend together" she told him. "I'm tired Raven" he sighed. "So go to sleep, " she told him. "Will you stay with me?" he asked. "Of course" she said turning on her side. Bellamy wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. Raven could tell when he was asleep, his breathing evened out and his arm relaxed. She ought to get up, but Bellamy needed her tonight, so she would stay here.

It wasn't easy for Clarke to leave Polis, but she knew she had to. They could stay on the outside of that bunker for weeks and still be no closer to getting the door open. It would have to be enough to know that when someone from the inside opened the bunker, they could get out and come find them on the ark. Nobody from the ring had come down either, so she was also dealing with that, but that part she had accepted. She knew they would have to figure out how to get back seeing as they only had enough fuel to get up there. Separately the two events weighed heavy on her, together they nearly crushed her, but Roan and Maddi made she wasn't alone with her thoughts for too long.

At the moment, Maddi was chattering about wanting an oasis at the ark, like they had at polis. Clarke reminded her that the oasis was not man made, to which Maddi responded that they could be. Roan groaned and shot Clarke a sidelong grin in anticipation of Maddi's next statement "Roan can build one, he can build anything" she said gazing up at him. Clarke laughed. Praimfaya had left several pits in the ground but neither of them really trusted them enough to be safe, even if they could somehow truck water in and fill them. "I don't know that they would be safe Maddi" Clarke told her "but perhaps we could arrange some sort of small swimming area at the ark," she said. "But if not, the hot springs isn't that far away" she reminded the child. "Okay" Maddi agreed easily, too easily Clarke thought. She was sure that particular subject would come up later.

By this time they had arrived at the drop ship where they would spend the night. Maddi's favorite place to sleep was the third floor of the drop ship, but Clarke couldn't bring herself to go up there. Way too many memories of people and/or events that happened there to haunt her, so Roan slept up there with her; while Clarke slept on the bottom floor, not that those areas held any less memories for her, but at least they didn't keep her awake.

Maddi, of course had heard the story of how Clarke and her friends came down the first time in this very ship. She was enthralled by the imagery of space from this side of the universe, and had all kinds of questions about what the world looked like from the opposite side of the universe. Clarke answered them as best she could, but truly the only way to appreciate the view of the world from a space station was to see it for you, and the chances of Maddi ever doing that were slim to none.

As usual, Roan went into the drop ship first to make sure it was unoccupied and safe for Maddi and Clarke. Once he'd cleared it for them to go in, he took a spear and went to find dinner for them while Clarke and Maddi started a fire. "Are you sad that we couldn't get into the bunker?" Maddi asked her while they were arranging the sleeping bags inside the drop ship. Clarke sighed "I'm a little disappointed" Clarke admitted "but it has to be opened from the inside, and since we can't communicate with them" she shrugged. "Do you miss your mom?" Maddi asked her. Clarke nodded "a lot, do you miss yours" she asked the child.

"A little" Maddi answered "but sometimes I have trouble remembering what she looks like." Clarke felt sad for her "does that make you sad?" she asked. "A little, but then I see you and I think my mom would be happy that I have a new mom and dad, so…" Maddi trailed off. Clarke sniffed and blinked back her tears "I never want to replace your mom Maddi, you only get one of those, ever, but I will always love you and take care of you as if you were my own child, I promise" she said pulling Maddi into a hug. "I know" Maddi replied as if that question had been answered a long time ago. Clarke wished she had the faith that everything would fall into place like it was supposed to that Maddi possessed. But everything she'd been through nagged at that faith.

"What did I miss?" he asked seeing them hugging and Clarke holding back tears. "I'll tell you later" she mouthed silently. He nodded "Hey sprite want to help clean the rabbits?" he asked holding up dinner. "Yeah" she agreed, disentangling herself from Clarke's embrace and following him outside. Clarke just shook her head and laughed. "I wish I could bounce back that quick" she mused; preparing their sleeping arrangements, while the two of them prepared dinner.

After dinner that night Maddi sat down with Clarke's radio. She turned it on like she'd seen Clarke do a million times and picked up the mic. _"Hello"_ she spoke into the mic.

Bellamy sat up at, this was a new voice, a child, probably the nightblood that Clarke and Roan had rescued. Raven walked in the room just as Maddi started talking.

 _"I' don't know if you can hear me, after all Clarke isn't real handy with anything electrical or mechanical, but I suppose you already know that" she laughed._

"Why hello Maddi" she grinned "yes, we do know that, but we love her anyway" she said, covering Bellamy's hand with hers. He wrapped his fingers through hers, as they listened to Maddi.

 _"But that's okay because she is good at other things. She teaches me how to hunt and forage, and she's pretty good in hand to hand combat. Not as good as Roan and I, but we'll teach her. I'm Maddi by the way, but I guess you figured that out. We're at the drop ship. We're going to spend the night and go back home in the morning."_

"I wish I could go home" Bellamy sighed. Raven nodded in agreement.

 _"If being apart is half as hard on you as it is on Clarke, I bet you're pretty sad some days, and probably worried about her too. Me and Roan worry about her too, but she isn't always sad, some days she has fun. Other days, she just sits on the chair outside and stares up at the sky, or toward Polis. She misses you guys. She misses her mom."_

"We all miss her" Bellamy replied.

 _"But don't worry about her, Roan and I will take care of her, just like she takes care of us."_ Maddi assured them. _"I have to go, she is calling me. I hope to meet all of you someday. Oh and please be nice to Roan. I know you don't like him, but they are all I have left in this world and I love them both so much."_

The radio went dead. Bellamy sighed "How do you hate a guy after a plea like that?" he shook his head. "You don't" Raven told him "you learn to get along with him, not for your sake or his, or even Clarke. You do it for that little girl."


	28. Chapter 28

** Day 2,019**

Roan had been keeping a close eye on Clark since the five-year-anniversary had rolled around. So far. 185 days passed the date, with no word from her mom or her friends she appeared to be doing okay. He could tell it was wearing on her though. She still did all the things they had been doing, training, foraging and taking Maddi to the hot springs for daytrips, but with each passing day she became more and more resigned to it being just the three of them. She'd stopped cleaning the extra quarters they had set up initially. When she thought they were watching her, she would sit outside and stare at the sky, occasionally wiping a tear from her cheek.

Today was one of those days.

Maddi had been in bed for a while now; Clarke sat outside watching the stars. She wanted to believe that they were trying to find a way back, but what if they never made it to space? What if she had failed to get the communication tower working and they died due to lack of oxygen waiting for her to fix something she wasn't equipped to fix? "You're doing it again" Roan sat down beside her. She sniffed "doing what?" she asked trying her best to hide the fact that he was right. "You're thinking so hard I can hear the wheels in your head turning" he replied unconvinced by her statement.

She sighed "what if I screwed something up and they never made it to space?" she asked "or worse, what if they did and they ran out of oxygen?" He shook his head "Or what if they had to grow something to somehow make a Raven-like concoction to get them back home and it is taking its time growing?" he countered. Maybe they are waiting for the earth to turn to get them in the right position to land here instead of half a world away? Did you say they dropped you guys in the wrong spot the first time?" he asked. She blew out a breath of air "Ok, so why haven't they opened the bunker yet?" she looked at him.

He took her hand into his "We could ask a thousand why's or who's or how's and all we would do is depress ourselves trying to answer questions we don't have answers to; and wont answers to until someone either drops from space or walks from Polis" he told her. "Driving yourself crazy with questions you don't have answers to is not the best way to approach this situation," he declared. "I suppose you have a better idea" she sighed. "As a matter of fact I do" he replied. "You know how Maddi wants that oasis here at the ark. I say we give it to her." Clarke cocked her head back "and just how do you propose we do that?" she asked.

Roan told her about his plan and what it would take to make it happen. She thought he was crazy, but she did need a distraction; and while his plan was a little off the wall, everything else he had done worked, so why not give it a shot. "Why not?" she agreed "It beats staring at the sky with more questions than answers" she sighed. "Good, we'll start tomorrow. Now get some sleep, tomorrows going to be a long day," he said standing up and holding out his hand for her to take it. "You're just doing this so that you can distract me aren't you?" she grunted. "If I was, would that be such a bad thing?" he countered, leading her inside "besides it's more productive than staring into space for answers that will come when they are ready" he pointed out.

Bellamy had started camping out in the communication lab again. He barely left the room or the radio unless Echo or Raven forced him to do so. The last couple of days, they had yet to hear anything from anyone, including Clarke, which didn't help his mood at all. "Eat" Echo sat a plate of food down in front of him and took the seat next to him. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched him intently. Bellamy tried to ignore her, but after a few minutes it was clear she wasn't going away. Reluctantly, he started eating the algae salad she'd brought him "I'm so sick of algae" he grumbled, "we all are" she replied "but it's all we have until we get home" she reminded him. "IF we get home," he said barely above a whisper.

Echo shook her head "I wonder if Roan is having as much trouble with Clarke as we are with you?" she asked. "I doubt it" he chortled, "She was always better at processing things than me." Echo had to admit he'd gotten better at using his head, rather than his heart to make decisions, except where Clarke was concerned. If he wasn't in here trying to get anyone on the radio, he was in the Griffin quarters or on the observation deck. He barely spent any time with the rest of them unless Echo or Raven drug him wherever they were going. Lately, he'd been so surly the others went out of their way to avoid him, including Murphy, who could be quite surly by himself.

The radio crackled and Bellamy turned his head "Eligius corporation to Ark Station, do you read?" Bellamy stilled "Go get Raven" he told Echo, who was already on her feet. "Eligius Corporation to Ark Station, do you read" the voice repeated. Bellamy picked up the mic "this is Ark Station" Bellamy said; "Elgius Corporation we hear you, come back," he answered. "Ark station, this is Colonel Adam Santos, Eligius Corporation, we have heard your SOS. What is the nature of your emergency?" he asked. Bellamy leaned his head back against the chair and sighed, "Colonel Santos it is good to hear your voice" Bellamy replied, "I am Bellamy Blake. We need to get back down to earth, but are lacking the rocket fuel to do so. We are willing to make a deal in exchange for safe passage to earth," he told the man.

Raven came running into the room just in time to hear the man's response. "The way we heard it the earth was destroyed by nuclear reactors" he said. "It was five years ago" Bellamy confirmed "but we have people living down there in bunkers" he decided not to mention the three people at the ark. His head said work with them because they were the ticket home, but his gut said something else entirely. "We might be able to work something out, Could we board your space station an talk about it?" he asked. Bellamy looked to Raven "Eligius this is Raven Reyes, how many of you are there?" she asked. "Six including myself" he answered "How many are there of you?" he asked. "Seven" she replied.

"Can you give us a minute to consult our people?" Bellamy asked. "Certainly" Colonel Samtos replied. By now the others had gathered "Well?" Bellamy looked at them. "What do we have to lose?" Harper asked. "My gut tells me they want something more" Bellamy told them. "Then we'll be ready for that, too" Murphy replied, "But they are our current best option to go home. "Ok, you guys gather the weapons and valuables, stash them where we can get to them quickly if we need to" he instructed. Murphy, Monty and Harper left the room to do as he said. "Okay Colonel" Bellamy spoke into the mic "you may board, but be advised we have no weapons and very little food. We don't want trouble, only to go home" he said. "Understood, We will be near you in a few days and will radio you then." Bellamy sighed, "10-4, Ark station out" he said laying the mic down on the desk.

"I know this is the first real hope we've had" Harper looked at them trying not to ruin the positive vibe in the room, but what do we really know about these people?" she asked. Bellamy nodded in agreement "I get your concerns" he said "but hope is hope" Bellamy said "and we need to cautiously engage this group, but be ready to defend ourselves if necessary." He looked into a crowd of hopeful, but worried faces "I know we don't know about these people, but this is as close to getting home as we're going to get" he told them "so we need to have a little hope and a little faith."

Raven looked at them "Bellamy's right" she said, "This may be our only chance of getting home, so we need to take the chance. Be prepared to defend yourselves and each other. If it comes down to it, we will take their ship by force" she told them. "I would say pack up anything you want to take with you, and leave the rest. We may need to resort to bribery" she shrugged. Everybody but Echo, Bellamy and Raven left the room. "Well, what do you think?" she asked them. "My gut tells me this is going to cost us something, but with any luck we can make the best of it and get home."

He turned to Echo "I need you to use your special skills" he said "If something is amiss, you are the one who can get around without getting caught" he told her. She nodded "I can do that" she said. Echo had spent a lot of time walking around the ship in the last five years. She had found lots of spaces she could squeeze into where she would not be seen. This was her moment to prove to Bellamy that after all they had been through she could be trusted to look after the rest of them.

Murphy stood in the hall talking to Harper, Emori and Monty. "I know this is our best chance, but I think we need to have a plan just in case whatever Bellamy's plan is doesn't work," he told them. They all nodded in agreement. "First let's gather the stuff we want to take back home and store it in one of our rooms" he said "then we'll meet back here in an hour."


	29. Chapter 29

Clarke watched as Roan molded the metal he'd foraged into the hole in the ground. She shook her head in amazement "Is there nothing that you're not good at" she asked. He laughed, "After five years you're still surprised?" he mused. " She shrugged "I wasn't exactly paying attention" she replied "you don't say," He scoffed. "You grew up on this boat and I have learned in five years to do more than you did in a lifetime," he pointed out. "Well I had my mom and dad, and then I had Bellamy and Raven, so I didn't have to pay attention" she defended lamely. He shook his head "and then I came around to continue the cycle" he sighed. "Please tell me you learned something?" he pleaded. "I built a radio" she murmured "that may or may not work," he reminded her. She grinned sweetly at him "Did I mention how glad I am you found me?" she asked. He merely grunted and returned to his job.

Maddi ran out to greet them "Is my pool ready?" she asked. "Your pool?" Clarke cocked her head at the child. Roan laughed "Not yet Maddi, but soon" he promised. She groaned "Go play Maddi" Clarke told her "or help Roan if you want the job to be done faster." Maddi weighed her options then jumped in the pit with Roan "What do I need to do?" she asked. Roan shot Clarke a look "finally someone who wants to learn something new" he said. Clarke grinned "I'm being useful, somebody has to get stuff from the scrap pile" she defended. He just shook his head and called for more scraps. Clarke laughed and walked over to pick up the things he asked for. "She's in a better mood," Maddi said. "Yeah she is" Roan agreed, "Hopefully this one will last."

It had been two days since they heard from the Eligius corporation, Bellamy had worked out a plan with Echo and Raven for their protection just in case. He also knew the others had a plan of their own just in case his failed, but he was willing to let them have that, it never hurt to have a backup plan just in case. "Eligius Corporation to Ark Station come in" the radio crackled. Bellamy picked the mic up "This is ark station, go ahead" he spoke into it. "Ark station we would like permission to interlock with your station' Colonel Santos spoke over the radio. "Permission granted Eligius" Bellamy said and opened the hangar door like Raven had shown him. Echo and Raven sat beside him looking at each other. "Keep an eye out" Bellamy looked at Echo. She nodded and slipped out of the room. "Ready?" Raven stood up. Bellamy nodded and walked with her toward the hangar bay.

The ship that had docked was larger than their rocket it had a sign on it that read "Elgius Corporation: Prisoner Transport". Bellamy and Raven exchanged glances wondering what they had gotten themselves into. Raven squeezed his hand "It's going to be okay," he told her "Echo has our backs." The doors opened and five people led by a man with dark hair emerged. They appeared to be unarmed. "Bellamy Blake" the man held his hand out. "I'm Colonel Santos, but you can call me Adam he said. Bellamy introduced Raven, and then Santos introduced his men.

Bellamy shook his outstretched hand "Is there a place we could talk?" Santos asked. Bellamy nodded "This way" Bellamy led them to the lab. He could sense Echo's presence, but she was good at keeping hidden, so she was definitely out of sight. As they passed the dining hall where everyone was gathered the smell of food wafted their way. Santos stopped in the hallway "Is that Algae?" he asked. Bellamy nodded; we've had our fill of it. We can't wait to get home and eat real food. Santos looked at him, "I know you said you have limited food supplies, but if you could spare it, my men could use a little food" the colonel addressed them. Bellamy looked at Raven, there's plenty more where that came from," she said "so why not." Santos smiled at them "many thanks "Considering we've been living off of MRE's for longer than you've been in space, Algae sounds wonderful" Santos replied, " he said. He walked into the dining room and introduced his men. The others introduced themselves as well.

Bellamy, Raven, Santos and a man he identified as Garvey headed toward the communication lab. They sat on opposite sides of the small table in there. "I have to tell you we have had our eye on this place for quite a while, but could never get into to it. How did you manage that?" He asked them. "That would be Raven" Bellamy smiled at her. "Actually, that would be Clarke" she countered. "Is this Clarke on board?" Santos asked. "No" Bellamy shook his head "she did the legwork portion of getting this place back online, but in order to do that, she had to stay behind in the praimfaya" he explained. "So, it was your idea then" he looked at Raven. She nodded "I have a knack for all things mechanical" she shrugged. "I'm sorry about your friend. I take it she didn't survive?" he asked. "We don't know, but probably not, that's why we want to get back home" Bellamy lied. They didn't need to know the truth.

"And you mentioned a bunker?" he asked. "Yes, with more than a thousand people in it" Bellamy confirmed "some friends, some acquaintances" he said. "Look" Raven stepped in "the bottom line is we want to go home, sooner rather than later" she stared Santos down "We are willing to work for a ride home or trade something for that right" she said. "You clearly know that you have the upper hand, so just tell us what is your offer?" Santos grinned "getting right to the point I see" he smiled  
"you're right, we have an offer" he acknowledged.

"We want this place," he told them. "The problem is we don't know how to run it or anything about it," he said. "Give us six months, teach us how to live on and run this place. At the end of that time, we'll get you back to your people." Santos said. "There are a few things we want to take with us," Bellamy said "not a lot, but a few things" Santos nodded that shouldn't be a problem" he agreed. "I assume you need to run this by your people?" he looked over at them. "Yes, we will" Bellamy said "but we could do it together if you wanted." Santos nodded and the four of them left the lab to go to the dining hall. A burst of laughter greeted them, to Bellamy that was a good sign.

The meeting was short, everyone agreed to the terms Santos had set with each person making a list of the things they wanted to take with him or her. Following the meeting Bellamy and Raven showed the six Eligius corporation members to their rooms, deliberately placing them close to each of them. People from each team were paired with a person of the other team so they could learn the skills they needed to stay on the ring. Tired from their journey the six-team members from Eligius retired to their rooms. Soon after Echo joined Bellamy and Raven in the communications lab.

"Well?" Bellamy looked at her "they seem to be all they say they are" she told them. Their ship has no weapons and before they all went to sleep they seemed quite happy to have this place," she said. "I believe they truly want to live here, though I can't imagine why" she shook her head. Bellamy shrugged "they probably have lived in space so long this is all they know" he said. "Keep an eye on them" he asked her. She nodded and left the room. "I'm going to check on the others" Raven left the room. Bellamy nodded "I'm going to stay here to see if Clarke calls" he said.

He was in the lab for most of the house before Santos walked in. "That Echo is quite the little treasure" he smiled. "You've met her?" Bellamy played dumb. "My men don't pay attention as well as I do" he said, "I know she's been following us all day. Your idea, I assume?" he asked. Bellamy nodded "I needed to know that I could trust you, I hope you understand" he said. "I do" Santos smiled "I might have done the same thing in your shoes. I assure you, we mean you no harm, and we will get you home to your friends and family" he told Bellamy.

"This place was a way to survive praimfaya. We are all ready to leave and get back to our friends and families. What we don't understand is why you want to live here" Bellamy shook his head. "Originally we didn't want to stay in space, especially since our families were on earth" he said. "But they all perished the first time fire destroyed the earth. Since then, this has become home" he shrugged. "Its weird, but this is home and this is all we want, I promise" Santos looked him in the eye.

"All we want is to go home" Bellamy said, "you can have this place, we don't want anything to do with this place. "Do you have people down there?" Santos asked. "My sister and my girl" Bellamy admitted. "Give us six months, then we will get you home, you have my word" Santos looked him directly in the eye "no surprises later, no added conditions." Bellamy sighed "okay, six months, but then we are going home and you can have this place because we will not be coming back to it" he said. Santos smiled "So do we have a deal?" Santos stuck his hand out. "Yeah, we do" Bellamy agreed shaking the man's hand. "Does that mean you can call off Echo, cause honestly her ability to creep around is really eerie" Santos shuddered.

Bellamy laughed "Trust me I know all about that" he grinned "and I will tell her to back off, but she takes her job of protecting us quite serious" he warned. "She sounds like a great resource to have around" Santos chuckled. "She's been a good friend, too" Bellamy replied. "I have to warn you" Bellamy leveled his gaze at the man "she's probably going to keep a pretty good eye on you until we are safely on our way home." Santos nodded "I will keep that in mind" he said standing up "now I am going to get some sleep" he said walking out the door. "Good night" Bellamy called after him. Echo walked in the room a few minutes later. "So, should I back off" she asked. "Maybe a little " Bellamy said "but keep an eye on them" he said. She nodded.


	30. Chapter 30

** Day 2,199**

Bellamy held the mic in his hand, a huge smile on his face. "Ark Station to the Bunker in Polis, come in" he called. He couldn't wait for Octavia, or anyone else to answer. It had been a long six months. The team from Eligius and Bellamy's crew had managed to work together quite well. After a few days, even Echo became convinced that Santos and his men were on the up and up about what they wanted and what they were willing to give in return. Santos was delighted when that happened because he knew she was always around, but he never knew where she was. As it turned out, the two of them got along pretty well.

For a minute, Bellamy thought she might stay up there with Santos, but as he turned into the hangar bay, she was standing with the rest of his crews bags packed and loaded into the ship that would take them home. "I've got one more thing to do before we take off" he told them adding his gear to the pile. It made a big thud when it landed "What do you have in there?" Raven asked. He grinned, "Griffin family movies" he said "I can't wait for Clarke to see them," he laughed. About three months in, he'd told Santos that they actually knew Clarke was alive and well, and the reason he was in a hurry to get home. Santos admitted that he'd always known that. Bellamy was not surprised. He'd learned that Santos was nobody's fool.

The radio crackled "Bell?" Octavia's voice came over the airways. "Hey O" he sighed "Open the bunker little sister" he grinned, "We're coming home!" he declared. He heard her sniffle "When?" she asked, "As soon as I hang up this mic," he told her. "We're going to stop at the Ark and pick a few people up and then we'll be there," he told her. "I can't wait to see you big brother" he heard the tears in her voice. "Same here O, but there is someone else I need to see first" he sighed. "Gee, I can't imagine who is more important than your little sister" she teased. "Bring her here when you find her. Someone else wants to see her almost as bad as you do," she said. "I think I can do that," he agreed. Santos appeared in the doorway.

Bellamy nodded at him "I have to go O" he said "But I'll see you in a couple of days. I love you," he told her. "I love you more big brother. I can't wait to see you," she said. The radio went quiet "Let's go," he said walking towards Santos. "I don't know how to thank you enough" Bellamy told him. "You can get Echo to stay here," he suggested. Bellamy laughed "and to think you were scared of her when you first got here" he chortled. "I didn't say I was scared of her" Santos defended "I said it was eerie how she was there, but not really there." Bellamy laughed she has that effect.

He and Adam had become pretty good friends over the course of the six months they spent together "I'm going to miss you man" Santos told him. "Me too, but anytime you want to leave all of this" Bellamy looked around him "We'll find a place for you in our world." Santos grinned "I'll keep that in mind" he clapped Bellamy on the back "now let's get you back to your girls" he said. "Lead the way" Bellamy grinned, "He was more than ready to go home.

Clarke was laying by the pool with Maddi when a loud noise disturbed the quiet of the day. "What was that?" Maddi asked. Clarke grinned, "that my dear was the sound a space ship makes when it enters the atmosphere." They watched as a ship descended from the sky. By its course, Clarke figured it would land just outside the gates of the ark. "Is that your friends?" Maddi asked. "I don't know" Clarke answered, "Go get Roan and we'll find out." Maddi ran to the ark and was back in no time with Roan "Do you think it's them?" he asked. "I'm afraid to think that far ahead," she admitted. "Only one way to find out" he said taking her hand.

Together they walked to the edge of the forest. A spacecraft, bigger than the one her friends had left on was landing. The words "Eligius Corporation: Prisoner Transport" was written on the ship. Clarke looked at Roan, clearly concerned "don't freak out yet" he said squeezing her hand. Slowly, too slowly, the doors opened. A dark haired woman walked out of the ship, Clarke sank to her knees, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Who's that?" Maddi whispered to Roan. "That's Raven" he told her "and I assume the rest of her friends."

Maddi looked up at Roan, then back down to Clarke "Is she okay?" she asked. Roan nodded "She is better than she has been in a very long time" he assured Maddi, who didn't look convinced. Roan reached down and scooped Clarke off the ground, letting her go when he was convinced she wasn't going to fall down. Maddi stood between them, holding their hands. Clarke watched breathlessly as the doors to the ship opened and a dark haired woman walked out of the ship. Clarke's breath caught in her throat "Oh my God" she said her breath caught in her throat. "Breathe" Roan, instructed fearing she was going to pass out.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Raven asked "Or are you going to come give me a hug?" she grinned at her. Clarke shook her head and ran to her friend. "God I missed you," she whispered when she reached the brunette and pulled her into a hug. Raven laughed "Well you don't look too bad for someone who took on praimfaya and won" she stepped back "and I love the hair" Raven said flipping the short blond hair Clarke was sporting.

A young blonde woman followed "Oh my God, Clarke" Harper threw herself at Clarke "It's so good to see you!" she sighed. Monty followed behind her, drawing her into a hug. "Well, looks like it takes something tougher than praimfaya to kill our princess" Murphy drawled, Emori standing beside him. Smiling at her. "It's good to see you too Murphy" she grinned. "So, what was it like in space?" she asked Emori "Noisy" she said "And if I ever see algae again it will be too soon." She shook her head. "I'm glad you're okay," she said. "Thanks, I wasn't sure I was going to be at first."

Clarke looked expectantly at the gate, where was Echo and Bellamy? The answer to her question came a few minutes later. Clarke's breath caught in her throat when he stood in the gates of Arkadia. "Bell" she whispered, barely able to breathe. Time seemed to stand still and the rest of the world faded to black. He dropped his bag where he stood and ran to her. He reached her in seconds and wrapped his arms around her "I'm sorry I left you" he breathed against her neck "I will never do that again" he swore holding her as tightly to him as he possibly could. Tears ran down her face "You had to Bell" she said, never wanting to be out of his arms again "But I'm glad you're home" she sighed "I missed you." "Not near as much as he missed you" Raven drawled breaking the moment. "I wouldn't bet on that" Roan murmured walking up behind them. "Shut up Roan" Clarke turned to face him, wiping her eyes. He just laughed.

Clarke turned to look for Maddi, who was clinging to Roan, hiding behind him. Bellamy stood behind her, his hand on her hip; no way in hell was she getting away from him again. His eyes followed her gaze to a child clinging to Roan. Clarke bent down "It's okay" she held her hand out to the child, who didn't budge. "I think she's a little overwhelmed" Clarke grinned "She hasn't seen anyone besides us in six years." Maddi was a brave little girl, but meeting seven new people was almost too much for her. "The bunker should be interesting for her then" Bellamy chortled. Clarke swatted him "Be nice Bellamy" she shook her head. He laughed and pulled her against him "I missed you" he sighed into her hair "I hope Maddi and Roan are prepared to share you" he said turning her into his arms so that she faced him "Bell" she sighed "I love you" he whispered before kissing her softly "I love you too" she sighed laying her head on his shoulder. "The next time the world ends, I'm going to be there with you," he told her "come hell or high water" he promised. "I'm going to hold you to that promise" Clarke replied wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Hey, where's Echo?" she asked. He grinned "Saying goodbye to Adam" he said. "Who's Adam?" she asked. "Adam is a long story, I promise I will tell you someday, but right now, I want to meet your little Maddi," he said. Clarke looked over where Maddi stood, still clinging to Roan. "I'll work on that," she said. Echo walked through the gate and stopped when she saw Roan "My king" she greeted him. He shook his head "I'm nobody's king anymore Echo" he replied. "Except maybe her's" he said lifting Maddi into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck looking and craned her neck as if she was looking for something "I'm right here doodlebug" Clarke said walking over to them. Still in Roan's arms Maddi reached a hand down towards her. Clarke grabbed it and smiled up at her. "Its okay Maddi" Roan assured her "remember we talked about Clarke's friends."

"Why don't we go inside and get some dinner?" Clarke suggested, "Give her time to adjust. "What do you think Sprite?" Roan asked. Maddi nodded. He put her down and she clung to Clarke like a second skin. Bellamy watched all this with great interest. It was clear to him that he would have to make room in his life for both King Roan and the child, as she also casts longing looks at Roan.

"Please tell me you have real food" Murphy begged, "If I have to eat algae ever again it will be too soon. Clarke laughed, "we have real food," she said "We've been hunting all year and stocking up for when you guys came home" she said. "I think I love you Clarke Griffin" Murphy sighed. Bellamy shot him a dirty look. Clarke took his hand "be nice" she told him. "That would be Roan you love" Clarke told Murphy "he's the hunter." "And the engineer, and the construction master…" he shook his head, then looked at the group "How did she survive on this ship her whole life?" he scowled. "She had people" Raven spoke up "So, she didn't have to think or do the little things. Speaking of engineering", she shook her head at Clarke "I want to see this radio you built."

"It worked?" Roan and Maddi said at the same time. Clarke shot them a dirty look "hey, I'm not totally useless" she declared "No, not totally" Raven agreed "but how sad is it that he" she pointed at Roan "knows more about this ship than you do?" Roan laughed, "I think I just asked that question the other day" he drawled. "Ok enough picking on Clarke" Bellamy grinned pulling her into his arms "we all know she was a little spoiled growing up." Clarke sighed, "You all suck," she grumbled, taking Maddi's hand and walking toward the ark. Bellamy didn't know what was being said, but the little girl looked up at Clarke, who picked her up. Maddi wrapped her arms around Clarke's neck and whispered something to her.

Bellamy found himself standing next to Roan "thank you for taking care of her" he said. "We took care of each other" he replied "and Maddi saved us both, gave us a reason to keep hope alive." Bellamy nodded "Still, if not for you, I'm not sure Clarke would have made it five years, and I wont forget that." Roan nodded "I appreciate that" he said. "So you and Echo in the same place for five years? I bet that was fun" he chortled. "It started off rough, but we eventually figured out how to get along" he shrugged "She's one of us now, as are you and Maddi, so I guess we all have to learn to live together" Bellamy said stretching out his hand. "I think we can do that," Roan said shaking his hand. Clarke and Maddi watched the exchange from the door of the ark "See, doodlebug, I told you things would work out" she said, "now lets eat and then you can meet my friends." Maddi nodded "okay" she agreed.


	31. Chapter 31

Dinner was not the quiet affair it had been when it was just the three of them. Roan became an instant hero when he exited the smokehouse with the packages of meat for dinner. The seven of them that had survived on algae for five years couldn't thank him enough for the first 'real meal' they'd eaten in six years. "Damn this is good" Monty closed his eyes and inhaled the smell and taste of meat "You are a genius" he said giving Roan a thumbs up. Roan shrugged "We had to survive too" he said, he didn't really feel like a hero or a genius.

"I think you guys were the lucky ones" Harper sighed when they were all sitting around the fire outside the ark after dinner Clarke scoffed "how?" she asked. "You weren't locked up somewhere surviving off of lettuce and canned air. You got to walk around and do things, like hunt and build smokehouses and pools," she said. "Maybe" Clarke agreed "but it was lonely, especially that first year" Clarke sighed. Bellamy wrapped his arm around her waist. Guilt ate at him every time she mentioned being alone. "I'm glad I could get out, because staying in that bunker, even for days at a time, drove me nuts" she said "I felt trapped."

"It felt that way on the ring too," Emori said. "I mean the view was great. I've never seen the world from that view, but after a few years, we were ready to come home" she said. "How did you pass the time?" Clarke asked. Raven grinned "we found a big screen TV and some old movies in your families' old quarters" Raven grinned. "You were a cute kid, what happened to you?" she teased. Clarke shook her head "Oh God, I hope you burned them," she groaned, blushing a little. "Actually, we brought them back with us" Bellamy grinned. Clarke groaned, "You're kidding me" she sighed. "I, for one would love to see those" Roan murmured. "I bet you would" Clarke sighed.

"I'd be interested in knowing how you became a nightblood" Echo looked at Roan. "And how did you two find each other and Maddi in a world where literally everybody else was either locked up or dead" Harper added. "I did what I had to do to survive and to make sure our people got a hundred spots in the bunker" Roan answered Echo's question. "But you were wounded, I saw her stab you" he nodded "I was wounded. I didn't know if I was going to live or die, but I struck a deal with Octavia after Clarke's save humanity speech before the conclave. I knew my people would be safer thinking I was dead, then knowing I was alive," he told her. Besides, I didn't know if it would work. So, I found a bunker in Polis and holed up there while I healed, then one day decided the test the nightblood and it worked" he said.

"When did your nightblood kick in?" Bellamay asked Clarke "A few days after praimfaya" she said, "The sores and boils healed up and I was still alive, though I didn't test the nightblood for a few days after that" she told him. "When I realized it worked, I made several trips between the house and the bunker scavenging what I could to survive and getting materials to escape the island when the time came." Murphy looked at her "and the house?" he asked. "Gone" Clarke sighed "Praimfaya claimed it almost immediately. "Such a shame, that was a great house" he sighed.

"It was" Clarke agreed, "It would have been nice to ride the storm out in that house," she said. "You would have quite the view," Murphy agreed. "I got enough of that from the top of the tower" Clarke shuddered. "Knowing you guys were safe was enough for me when I saw the wave of fire coming towards the island, eating everything in its site. "The top of the tower?" Raven asked. "What happened?" Clarke shrugged "I don't know, but in order for the satellite to work, I had to manually override the tower's signal, which was at the top of the tower" she explained "then I had to move the dish. Finally it connected. So I set it and ran like hell back to the lab. I figured if I died, at least no one else did," she said. Bellamy's heart hurt to hear those words "Well I for one, am glad you didn't" he said pulling her closer to him. "Me too" she smiled "me too." Maddi snuggled against her "me too" she repeated. "Hey she can talk" Clarke teased her. Maddi grinned and buried her head in Clarke's shoulder.

"Come on Sprite" Roan took her into his arms "Are you ready to meet these people yet?" he asked. She glanced back at Clarke, who nodded at her "it's okay Maddi" she assured the little girl. "I, for one, have been dying to meet the child who took Clarke Griffin down" Raven chimed in "and held the mighty king here at Bay with a homemade spear" Clarke piped in, pointing at Roan. "A better built spear than that crappy one you built, even" he pointed out. She glared at him "we're not talking about me right now," she returned. "Oh, so that's how it is, huh?" he laughed. "How old was she when she did that?" Raven asked. "Five" Maddi answered. "You were just a baby" Harper sighed, "how long were you on your own?" she asked. "At least a year, maybe two" Roan answered looking to Clarke "we'd been surviving together for a year that point, separately for two years, right?" he asked her. "About that" Clarke agreed. "We we're surprised to find her living as well as she had been."

Bellamy watched their interactions "And you've all been together since then?" he asked. Clarke nodded "thankfully the ark survived. Thanks to Jasper and his little bunker inside of the ark" she looked at Monty "he saved us, If not for him Roan and I wouldn't have had this place to fall back on" she smiled sadly. "Once we figured out how to get in and then back out" he looked at Clarke, shaking his head. "For someone who grew up on this boat, she has very little knowledge of how to use it" he mused. "Watch it mister, I have a few stories I could tell about you" she shot back. Bell watched the exchange between the two of them, and then he looked at Maddi "Thank God you had Clarke and Roan, huh?" he smiled kindly at her. She smiled slightly nodding in agreement. "She saved us as much as we saved her," Clarke told him. "She gave us a reason to keep hoping."

Maddi yawned and nestled her head against Roan's shoulders "I know you all want to get to Polis, and Clarke has been dying to get back there too, but it's a two day journey and Maddi would never make it if we left tonight. Can we leave in the morning?" he asked. Everybody agreed that was a better idea "Besides I still want to see this radio that Clarke built" Raven snickered "to see if we can get it to work properly." Maddi grinned, "we were surprised it worked at all," she said looking at Roan. He nodded in agreement.

"Be careful there doodlebug or you'll be sleeping on the floor tonight" she threatened. Roan stood up Maddi still nestled against his chest "You want me to take her tonight?" he asked looking at Clarke, who was still encircled in Bellamy's arms. She shook her head "I'll take her" she said disentangling herself from a reluctant Bellamy and standing up. Roan handed the sleepy child off to Clarke "Clarke has some rooms made up, I need to call it a night if we're walking to Polis in the morning" he said "I assume you guys can find your own way to your rooms?" he looked around. They all nodded. "I'm so happy that you are all here, but I need to get her to bed, so I will see you in the morning" she told them. Nobody was surprised when Bellamy stood up and followed her.

Bellamy, Clarke and Maddi entered the quarters that once belonged to Kane and Abby, presumably since it had the bigger bed in it. He wondered how many times Roan had slept in that bed with her and Maddi. Clarke laid Maddi on the bed and took off the child's shoes, and then walked over to where he stood "I can't believe you're actually here" she sighed leaning against him. "I'm not going anywhere again princess, ever?" he swore locking his arms around her. "It was unbearable at first, not knowing if you were alive or dead" he whispered into her hair "Then you're messages started coming through and I wasn't sure if it was worse to know you were alive and alone, and then _with him_ , than not knowing" he said.

"Well since I didn't know if you were alive or dead, I'd have to say it is better to know than not know" she replied. "And you don't have to worry about Roan, he helped me survive, but we were never together" she reassured him. "Maybe not, but the two of you have Maddi and there seems to be an emotional bond there" he looked at her. "We do have a bond with Maddi and he will always be the second half of the partnership, because for the last six years, the three of us have only had each other, but I don't love him, not like I love you" she said gazing into his eyes. "You're the only guy I want in my bed from now on Bellamy Blake" she sighed kissing him softly. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss "I love you babe" he sighed "I about went crazy up there imagining what you were doing with his royal highness" he admitted. "Not a thing" she assured him "There was only one guy I wanted to be with and it wasn't Roan."

"You still have to share me with Maddi though, she's been a little clingy lately." Maddi shifted restless in her sleep and called for Clarke. Clarke laid down on the bed beside her "I'm right here doodlebug" Clarke said wrapping the child up in her arms. Bellamy smiled at the picture the two of them made before crawling into bed behind Clarke and wrapping an arm around both of them. Maddi's small hand closed around his and he smiled, he could share Clarke with Maddi if he needed to. It wasn't long before all three of them were fast asleep.


	32. Chapter 32

Bellamy woke up the next morning with his arms locked securely around Clarke." If this is a dream, don't wake me up?" he murmured. She sighed "same here" she agreed. "Is Maddi still sleeping?" he asked. "Yeah, she wont be up for a little while yet" Clarke answered. "Does she always sleep with you?" he asked. "She usually ends up with me" Clarke replied "but she does have her own room." Bellamy watched Clarke lovingly stroke the child's hair "She's pretty special, huh?" he asked. Clarke nodded "yeah, she is" Clarke spoke softly.

"Clarke" Maddi mumbled sleepily "are we going to Polis today?" she asked. "Yes, doodlebug we are" Clarke confirmed. "Can we go to the oasis?" she asked. Clarke laughed, "We'll see, but I wouldn't count on it" she said. "Will I get to meet your mom today?" Maddi asked. "I hope so, and a few hundred other people too" Clarke mused. "Will they like me?" she asked. "Of course they will, but even if they don't you know Roan and I will make sure you are okay" she said "Why don't you go get washed up and changed, then pack a bag for a few days. When you're done find Roan, okay?" Clarke asked. Maddi nodded her head and got out of the bed. She looked over at Bellamy "Are you coming to Polis?" she asked Clarke. Clarke smiled "Of course I am Doodlebug, now go get packed. We'll be out in a minute." Maddi looked at Bellamy again, the reluctantly left the room.

"She doesn't trust me," he said. "She didn't trust me and Roan for a few days" Clarke told him. "He only managed to get her here because she was so little and too tired to fight him when he cornered her in the cave she was living in. Halfway here, she passed out, so he carried her the rest of the way" Clarke told him. "How old was she?" he asked. "We think she about four or five at the time" Clarke answered. "How the hell did she survive on her own?" Bellamy wondered. "She's tougher than she is acting right now" Clarke smiled "she is just a little freaked out at the moment."

"Hey are you two awake?" Raven poked her head in. "No, go away" Bellamy growled. "We need to leave soon, Roan says we can camp out at the drop ship tonight and make it to Polis tomorrow" she told them. "Roan says, huh?" Bellamy grinned at her. "Did I miss something?" Clarke asked watching the looks between them. "Bell thinks I should distract Roan so that he doesn't try to establish a claim on you" Raven explained. Clarke laughed " He wouldn't anyway" she said "but I'm all for it." She agreed. "Okay ten minutes and then we're sending Maddi in" Raven told them. "You've already met her?" Clarke asked. "Yeah, she's a great kid and she loves to tell on you" Raven laughed as she walked out the door. Clarke groaned, "I can imagine the stories that kid is telling" she sighed.

"Do we have to get up?" Bellamy grumbled. "They will send Maddi in" Clarke grinned "besides the sooner we get started, the sooner you see your sister" she reminded him. "Fine" he sighed sitting up "but when we get back…" he was cut off when Clarke kissed him "I'll pawn Maddi off on Roan" she said. "I'll hold you to that" he said capturing her lips again. Maddi appeared in the door "We're coming doodlebug" Clarke told her. "Okay" she said and disappeared again. "Come on Bell" Clarke tugged at him "all right, but only because I want to see my sister" he grumbled. "Whatever you need to tell yourself," Clarke laughed. "Sending the little girl in was dirty pool" Bellamy grumbled at Raven. "Dirty, but effective" she grinned. He couldn't argue against that. Maddi attached herself to Clarke as soon as she came out of the ark. "Hey doodlebug, are you ready to get on the road?" she asked.

The group left the ark led with Roan walking ahead of Maddi, who still clung to Clarke, Bellamy and Raven, with the others close behind. The further into the forest they got, the more they saw the damage praimfaya had caused. Bellamy also got little glimpses into the life that Clarke, Maddi and Roan had lived the last six years. Roan always walked just ahead of or beside Maddi, who was never more than arm's length away from Clarke. Clearly, this was a journey the three of them had taken many times because once in a while she would bound ahead of him always careful to stay where he could see and hear her. A couple of times he heard Roan whistle a unique tone that caused her to stop until he was closer. . She didn't complain or whine, but once in a while she would turn to Clarke or Roan who would pick her up and carry her.

They paused to eat four hours into the journey in a shaded spot with tree stumps for seats. Maddi sat on Roan's lap, her head resting on his chest. Roan looked down at her "Are you walking or riding sprite?" he asked her. She gripped his shoulders tiredly "Riding it is" he laughed transferring her to his back. Maddi wrapped her legs around his waist and clasped her hands around his neck, laying her head down on his shoulders." You doing okay?" Clarke walked up to Bellamy. "Yeah, you?" he asked, "We've done this millions of times," she said "you're the one who's not had to deal with gravity," she teased. "A rover would be nice" he said "Definitely faster" Clarke agreed.

They reached the drop ship in another three hours. Bellamy got another glimpse into their lives as Roan dropped down so Maddi could slide off his back. She ran over to Clarke and stopped beside her while Roan entered the drop ship. "What's going on" Bellamy asked "This is what he does" Clarke explained "Once he sees that the ship is clear we go in," Bellamy was beginning to realize that Roan really had taken care of Clarke while he was gone. Roan walked out of the ship and nodded at them. Maddi bounded in "I'm sleeping in the top" she declared scampering in the ship and up the ladder. Clarke laughed and chased after her, leaving Bellamy and Roan standing there.

"Has there ever been anybody on the drop ship? Bellamy asked. Roan shook his head "No, but I prefer not to take any chances" he said. "You really did take care of them, didn't you" Bellamy asked Roan. They sat down on the edge of the ship. "Clarke didn't bounce back as quickly after praimfaya" he said "that much became clear when she was training with Maddi and Maddi took her down. That's when I started looking after her," he said "And Maddi was small when she first came to us" Roan chortled "but man was she ferocious! She had no problem shoving her homemade spear in my face" he laughed. "The problem was she was already so tiny, and eating what she could forage, which wasn't much," he said "so yeah, I kept watch over them, and I will probably still do it. Sorry if that bothers you" he said.

Bellamy shook his head "Its okay" he said "Honestly, I am grateful that you have taken care of them. I worried how she was going to survive five years by herself."

Roan nodded at Raven, who was limping pretty badly. "She wont be able to walk all the way to Polis, not like that," he said. "I agree, but we don't have a rover, so what are our options?" Bellamy asked. Clarke can carry Maddi and Raven can piggy back on me, if she will" he said. Bellamy snorted, "Good luck with that" he said. He took a look at Roan "You're serious?" he asked. Roan nodded "The walk from here to Polis is much worse than it used to be" he said. Bellamy nodded "Ill talk to her" he said.

"How are you doing?" Bellamy sat down beside Raven "I miss space" she sighed, "I forgot how much gravity hurts she cringed massaging her leg. "His highness offered to carry you if you need it. He says the road from here to Polis is worse than from the ark to here" Bellamy told her. "I really hate that I'm considering it" Raven grumbled "but my leg is killing me." 

`Bellamy shrugged "its your decision" he told her "but he has some kind of white knight syndrome" he chuckled. Raven rolled her eyes "its called being a gentleman, you should try it sometime" she drawled. "Bellamy grinned "ill save it for Clarke" he chuckled. Raven shook her head "I'll talk to him. Right now I want to get the radio working. Can you send Monty over here?" she asked. Bellamy nodded. Echo, Harper and Monty were standing together. "Raven needs you" he said to Monty.

"How are you doing?" Belllamy asked Echo. He hadn't really talked to her since they'd gotten back, and to his knowledge the only conversation she and Roan had was the one when she first got there. She shrugged, "Roan really loves that little girl doesn't he?" she asked "Clarke too" Bellamy said. "He protects them above even his own safety" she said. "That's what I'm afraid of" she said. "Are you concerned about him going to Polis?" Bellamy asked. "A little, our people will not be happy with him," she said. "Its been six years Echo, they might be a little more forgiving then you think" he said. He watched as Clark and Maddi emerged from the drop ship. Clarke stopped to talk to Roan. Bellamy didn't hear what she said, but he laughed. "She doesn't love him, you know that right?" Echo said reading the scowl on his face.

"I know that" he sighed "and I know that they had to bond as a family to survive, but I don't have to like it" he said.

He was greatly relieved when Clarke joined Maddi, who was talking to Raven. Echo laughed at him "It's not funny" he grumbled. "It kind of is" she retorted. "If it helps, Clarke doesn't like that you are sitting with and talking to me," she pointed out. He turned to see her watching them "it helps a little" he admitted. "Go talk to her" Echo said "you'll feel better after that." Bellamy got up and walked over to where Clarke stood with Raven and Maddi. He stood behind Clarke, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned into him "Are you okay?" she asked him. She'd seen his curious glances when she was talking to Roan. Raven snorted "Hey Maddi do you want to help me fix the radio?" she asked. Maddi climbed up on her lap "can you fix it?" Maddi asked her. "I can fix anything, didn't Clarke tell you that?" she laughed staring pointedly at Bellamy. "You two go make yourselves useful setting up the beds in the drop ship" she looked at Bellamy and Clarke. "Subtle, Raven, very subtle" Clarke laughed. Bellamy mouthed his thanks to her.

"When did you and Echo become such good friends?" Clarke asked when they got inside the drop ship. "Probably about the same time that you and King Roan did" he replied. "We've already covered this," she reminded him "I love you, not him," she said wrapping her arms around him. He sighed and pulled her against him "I know, I just see the three of you together and it bothers me to think that he could replace me" he admitted. "Bell, Roan will always be a part of my life, because of Maddi, because of what we survived together, but you are the one I love. So, stop worrying about it" she pleaded.

"You don't have to worry about Echo," he told her. "We've somehow managed to become friends, "but she has a thing for Adam" he said. "The Adam that brought you guys down here and went back to the ring?" Clarke asked. "The very one" Bellamy confirmed "At first she didn't trust or like him, but they started spending time together and all that changed. I was kind of surprised she didn't stay up there with him" he said. "You should tell me that story" she stared at him pointedly. While they laid bedding out for everyone, Bellamy told her how he met Adam Santos and how they became friends. "He sounds like a great guy" she remarked. "He is" Bellamy agreed "I told him if he ever gets tired of life in his world to come to mine and I'd find a job for him." Clarke grinned "Well if is hooked on Echo, like you say Echo is hooked on him, that could happen" she mused.

Maddi came in the ship where they were standing "Roan is back with dinner" she said, "I'm going to help him clean it," she told Clarke pulling out a knife from a sheath on her waist. "Ok, do you need help?" Clarke asked. "No, but Roan wants you to start a fire" Maddi told her. "I'm on it," she told the child. Maddi turned without addressing Bellamy "she still doesn't like me" he sighed. Clarke laughed, "Give her time. Come on you can help start the fire" Clarke tugged at him. "I thought we were," he countered pulling her back into his arms and kissing her. "Wrong kind of fire" Clarke murmured against his lips. "I know, I know," he groaned, but allowed Clarke to drag him away.


	33. Chapter 33

Dinner was a quiet affair, With the exception of Clarke and Roan, everyone was too tired to do much more than eat and go to bed. Luckily, the next leg of their journey was not near as long. With the exception of Raven, Maddi was still getting used to the newcomers, so she slept in Clarke's lap leaning against her chest. Clarke sighed "It's so quiet and peaceful" she said, stroking Maddi's soft hair. "Bellamy's really freaking out isn't he?" Roan chuckled. "A little" Clarke admitted "He's afraid of the bond we have over Maddi" she said. "You told him he has nothing to fear, right?" he asked. "Yeah, but Bellamy isn't known for thinking things through" Clarke laughed. "Sounds like someone else I know" Roan murmured, looking at her. "Shut up" she smacked him.

Maddi stirred "If you wake her up, she'll be miserable in the morning" Roan warned. Clarke sighed "Yeah, I should probably put her down for the night" Clarke agreed. "I'll see you in the morning" she said standing up, pulling Maddi to her chest as she did. "Tell Bellamy I said good night" he teased. She rolled her eyes "Good night Roan" she said walking into the ship.

"You can come out Echo" Roan spoke to the darkness. "Sire" she said sitting next to him. He sighed patiently "I told you Echo. I am nobody's king anymore. You can call me Roan, but I am not your king" he said. She nodded "I'll try" she said. "So, what was life like in space?" he asked. "Noisy and I missed the trees and rivers we have here" she said "The view was amazing though, especially when praimfaya was burning." He snorted "beautiful?" he asked. She nodded "Raven called it beautiful, but deadly. And it was" she said. "Bright orange against black sky, it was like a fiery sunset, only it lasted for several years" Echo replied.

"How was life on earth?" she asked. "Lonely for the first year, but then I found Clarke and a year later Maddi. Since then my life has not been boring" he drawled, a silly grin on his face. "Did she handle being away from Bellamy as bad he did her?" she asked. "At times" Roan answered "but she would never talk about it. I could tell when she was thinking about him. She would just sit outside and stare up at the stars with this far off look in her eyes. She thought she was hiding it, but Maddi and I are a little more perceptive than that" he said.

"So what happens now that Bellamy is back?" Echo asked. "Clarke and I discussed this a long time ago. Maddi is our priority, she will always be our priority" he said. "I don't love her and she doesn't love me, but we both love Maddi. The three of us survived together for six years, Bellamy, and anyone else who gets involved will have to understand that."

"How bad was Bellamy?" he asked. Echo shook her head "Before he started getting Clarke's messages, he was completely broken. He thought she was dead, that he had killed her by leaving her behind, but then her messages started coming through." Roan snorted "I still can't believe she made a radio that actually worked" he shook his head "She is hopeless with stuff like that." He smiled as he said the words. "Once he knew she was alive, he would barely leave the communication lab. And then only if Raven or I made him" she told him.

"As it got closer to the five year mark, he got worse. Sometimes, the only way to get him to sleep was for Raven and him to watch old Griffin family movies in Clarke's old room. Eventually he and Raven started sleeping there." Roan arched his eyebrows "together?" he asked. She nodded "Yeah, but all they did was sleep. He couldn't see anything beyond Clarke" she grinned. "Damn fool realized about an hour too late that he loved her and then he had to live the next six years without her" she shook her head. "It's probably a good thing she didn't die, then huh?" he grinned. "For you and Maddi too it would seem" Echo agreed. "For me and Maddi too" he said. "Get some sleep Echo, tomorrow is going to be an interesting day" he said standing up and walking into the ark.

The next morning Bellamy reached over to find that Clarke had joined him sometime after he'd gone to bed. The last time he'd seen her she was sitting outside talking to Roan with Maddi asleep in her arms. "Where's Maddi?" he spoke softly as not to wake anyone up. "Sleeping upstairs with Raven" Clarke grinned "I'm being replaced" she chuckled. "I don't think that's going to happen" he laughed kissing her neck. As if on cue, Maddi appeared at her side "Hey there doodlebug" Clarke smiled "we were just talking about you" she said wrapping the child in her arms,

Maddi rested her head on Clarke's side, gazing at Bellamy. Clarke elbowed him in the gut "Hi Maddi" he said once he caught his breath "I've heard a lot about you" he said. She stared at him "Are you going to make Roan go away?" she asked. Clarke snorted "Bellamy threw her a dirty look "something helpful would be more appropriate" he whispered in her ear.

Clarke sat up and pulled Maddi into her lap. Bellamy sat up beside her. "Doodlebug, we talked about this" Clarke said. "What did Roan and I tell you?" she asked the child. She shrugged, still looking to Bellamy for an answer. He took a deep breath, this made him more nervous than he'd felt in a long time. "No Maddi' he finally spoke "I'm not going to make Roan go away. I know he is important to you, but I want to be with her" he looked at Clarke "Do you think you can make room for me if I promise not to make him go away?" he asked. She cocked her head in his direction and crossed her arms over her chest "you promise you won't make him go away?" she asked.

Clarke laughed softly, Bellamy glared at her. "I swear" Bellamy said "in fact I have a problem you might be able to help me with" he said. Maddi looked at him "What?" she asked quietly. Clarke shook her head, this should be interesting. "Well you like raven, right?" he asked. Maddi nodded. "Well it has been a long time since she has had someone to take care of her, and I think Roan would be the perfect guy to do that" he said. Maddi turned her head to look at Clarke, a smile spreading across her face. "Oh man" Clarke groaned. Bellamy grinned, the look on Maddi's face combined with Clarke's reaction, he knew he'd won Maddi over.

"Are you in?" she asked. Maddi nodded "good, we'll come up with a plan later, okay?" he asked. She nodded "okay" she said "So, does that mean you can make some room in your little family for me?" He asked. She nodded again "I guess you can be in her life too" Maddi sighed. Clarke shook her head "Well thanks for that" she chortled. "Speaking of Raven" Clarke looked at Maddi "Why don't you go see if she is up yet, and wrap up your sleeping bag" she said. Maddi nodded and bounded up the stairs to the top of the drop ship. "Smooth Blake, very smooth" she grinned at him. "I thought so" he said cupping her chin and pulling her closer so that he could kiss her.

Raven stretched and groaned, why had she slept upstairs on the hard floor with Maddi? The little girl was dressed and rolling up her sleeping bag. "Good morning" Raven greeted her. Maddi smiled "hi" she said shyly. "Did you get the radio working?" she asked. "I think so; we're going to test it today. Want to help?" she asked. Maddi nodded. She did like Raven. She was funny and friendly. "We're moving out in ten minutes" someone called from down below. Raven groaned, it would take ten minutes for her leg to decide to work. She grabbed the strap on the side of the drop ship to help her get to her feet. As she did Maddi began to roll Raven's sleeping bag "Thanks" Raven smiled at her.

She made her way to the ladder and began to climb down. Her leg was stiff after sleeping on the floor, so she took each rung slowly. She was about halfway down when a pair of hands settled on either side of her hips. She looked down into the ice blue eyes of Roan. "You can let go, I got you" she recognized the graspy voice of Roan. She let go of the rails and he lowered her to the floor, keeping his hands on her waist until she was steady.

"You should have told Maddi no when she asked you to sleep up there with her" he drawled. "I couldn't tell her no" she shrugged "Clarke has that problem too" he murmured. "Thanks for helping me down" Raven said. "Yeah about that leg" Roan looked at her "are you going to be okay walking to Polis?" he asked her. "It's a long way and the path has become littered with debris" he told her. "Bellamy mentioned that yesterday" she said. "I'd like to walk on my own, but if it becomes too much I will let one of you know" she told him. He nodded

"Come one Sprite, we're leaving" he called up into the ship. Two sleeping bags fell out of the hole at his feet. "Really Maddi?" he grinned up at her catching her feet as they hit the rungs. She laughed and let go falling into his waiting arms. "Let's go sprite he said hefting her onto his shoulders and walking out of the drop ship. Raven watched him, the way he played with Maddi made him seem less like the mighty king he'd use to be and more like a father; which he'd basically been since her parents had perished in praimfaya. Someday, she hoped to meet a guy like that.


	34. Chapter 34

Raven walked over to where Clarke stood and was telling her about what happened in the ship with Roan. She grinned, "He definitely takes care of the people around him" she said, "You could do worse." Raven glared at her "Who says I'm looking?" she asked. "You don't have to be looking for the right guy to come along," Clarke countered. "He is a good dad," she laughed telling Clarke what he did with Maddi in the ship. She shook her head and sighed "I hate it when he does that" she said. She was always afraid he was going to drop her. "Why?" Raven asked, "what if he drops her?" Clarke asked. "You sound like a mom, you know that right?" Raven asked.

Clarke shrugged "What can I say? I May not have given birth to her, but I have raised her" Clarke smiled. "I bet her parents would be happy with the way you have taken care of her," Raven said. "I wasn't alone in that," Clarke reminded her, as they watched Roan twirl Maddi in a circle. "I can't watch" Clarke turned her head, fearing Maddi would go flying and get hurt. "Lightweight" Roan walked up behind her with Maddi in his arms. "You know I hate it when you do that" she grumbled. "And?" he countered, eyebrows arched. "One day you're going to drop her," Clarke pointed out "Not in a million years" Roan assured her gazing lovingly at Maddi.

Bellamy watched the interaction between Roan and Clarke. He knew he had nothing to worry about, but every time he saw them standing together with Maddi, it reminded him of the family they had become. On the other hand, watching Roan interact with Raven was giving hi ideas. He walked around checking to make sure everybody was getting ready to go and helping out where needed when he heard Raven looking at and talking to Roan, with Maddi in his arms, and Clarke. He didn't quite hear what she was saying, but whatever it was, she had Roan's attention.

"What?" Roan asked her. "If you'd have told me six years ago that the great King Roan of Azgeda and Princess Clarke Griffin would become what the two of you have, I would have told them they were crazy!" she declared. Clarke looked over at Roan "later on, if she cant walk and ends up being carried, do me a favor and drop her on her ass" Clarke grinned at him. "I'll think about it," he returned, laughing at her. "Okay time to go" he said handing Maddi to Clarke.

"Sorry doodlebug" Clarke lowered Maddi to her feet "you're walking this morning" she said taking Maddi's hand. Bellamy came up before they started off "Are you okay to walk this morning?" he asked Raven, while snaking an arm around Clarke. "Where have you been?" Clarke asked him. "Helping the others packs up" he said "miss me?" Clarke shook her head, grinning as she did "nope, not at all" she said. "Well in that case, I'm going to walk ahead with Roan" he tossed at her, dropping a kiss on her lips. "See you later Maddi" Bellamy smiled at the little girl who still clung to Clarke around the others. "Bye" Maddi returned, smiling at him. Clarke smiled as he walked away. "He missed you" Raven told her. "I missed him, too" Clarke admitted.

"When we get to Polis can we go to the oasis?" Maddi asked Clarke as they walked beside her. Clarke sighed, "If we have time," she said. "Are we going back home after this?" Maddi asked Clarke. Clarke smiled "I have no plans whatsoever of staying in the bunker permanently" she assured the child. "I'm not sure when we will go home, but we are going back" she said. "Good" Maddi said, "Because I don't want live anywhere else." Clarke hugged her "Me either, kiddo" Clarke sighed. It had taken a long time for the ark to feel like home to them and for Roan as well, but somewhere along the way it had become their home. The question was who else would want to return to the ark and how would that affect their lives.

The niggling fear that the people of Ice Nation would not be ready to accept Roan's decision to lie low came back to her. Unlike the last few times they'd gone to the bunker, this time the bunker would actually open, and they'd have to face the possibly angry people inside. "What is going on in your head?" Raven asked her seeing the expression on her face change. "I have always wondered what's going to happen when the bunker opens and the clans realize that Roan survived and didn't return to the conclave" she said "I wont let them hurt him" she declared. "How do you know they will?" she asked. "How do I know they wont?" Clarke countered. "I guess we'll have to wait and see" Raven said "for the record Bellamy has the same fear about Echo, but she too will be protected. We are all one family now, Echo, Roan and Emory included."

They were halfway to Polis when it became clear that Raven was struggling to walk through the thick debris that littered the once clear path to Polis. She stopped for a minute to sit on a tree stump and rest her leg. Clarke stood in front of her "take the help Raven," she said motioning for Roan to come back to where they sat. "Ready to admit defeat?" he asked her. He'd noticed a ways back that she was getting slower. "I'm not helpless," she said looking up at him. "I know that" he told her "but if you keep up at this pace, you're going to do more damage than good," he told her. When she didn't say anything he sighed "ok stay here" he told her heading into the wooded area just beyond the path. "Where is he going?" Raven asked. "There's a bunker over there" Clarke replied.

Bellamy came to where they had stopped. "What's wrong?" he asked seeing Raven sitting down. "I'd kill for a rover or a horse," Raven declared. "I wish I could give you one," he said. "How about you?" he asked looking a Clarke, who was holding Maddi's hand. "We're okay," she said. "A little tired, but we're almost to Polis" Clarke told him. She recognized the landscape. Another hour or so and they would be at the bunker. "When we get back to the ark Maddi and I will take you to the hot springs" she told Raven. "It's amazing!" Maddi chimed in. Clarke nodded "It's pretty nice" she agreed.

Bellamy surveyed the almost unrecognizable forest "praimfaya really raged here. Huh?" he asked. "If you think this is bad, just wait until you see Polis," she told him. "It was virtually destroyed." He looked at her "How many times have you been to Polis?" he asked her. "A few, every few months we would come to check on the bunker to make sure it wasn't getting buried again" Clarke replied. "And go to the oasis" Maddi added. "That too" Clarke agreed. Maddi was beginning to warm up to Bellamy, which made her happy.

Roan walked back into the clearing carrying some kind of poultice. He knelt down in front of Raven and motioned for her to put her foot on his thigh. The thick green mass he attached to her leg did not look very pretty, but a warming sensation immediately began to spread, dimming the pain. He secured it with some cloth and string from his pack. "That should keep until we get to Polis" he looked at her "once there we'll find a better solution to get you home." She nodded at him "thank you" she told him. "We can take her to the hot springs when we get home" Maddi said. "That is a great idea sprite," he said grinning at her. "Are you walking or riding the rest of the way?" he asked. "Riding" she declared. Roan stayed in a kneeling position while she climbed on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Once she was secure he stood up "Almost there" he told the others, who had caught up with them. He turned to Raven "If that thing works" he nodded at the radio in her hand "you can tell them we'll be there in about an hour" he said. Raven nodded. She messaged the bunker that they were coming and they set off. Once again, Bellamy led the pack with Roan. "See, a good dad" Raven smiled at Clarke. "You seem kind of taken with our king, maybe Bellamy was right" Clarke teased. Raven groaned "him and that plan" she sighed. "You realize he only hatched it to make sure Roan wouldn't lay a claim to you, right?" she asked. "I do, but that doesn't change the fact you seem quite interested in him" Clarke pointed out. Raven ignored her and kept walking. Clarke laughed and followed along.

The group came to a halt when they finally reached Polis. Emori, Murphy, Bellamy and Echo who had seen the city with its different venues and the tower had been reduced to piles of rubble and ashes couldn't believe their eyes. "How the hell did you even manage to find the bunker?" Murphy asked Clarke, Maddi and Roan, who had been here several time since praimfaya. "We had an idea where it was Clarke told them, but it was Maddi who actually found the bunker the first time." Maddi, who was now in Roan's arms looked down at her "I did?" she asked confused?

"Yes doodlebug when you were rolling around the in soot and ash, remember?" Clarke grinned at her. "Oh yeah, now I remember. You were mad because I got really dirty" she said. Murphy snickered "Shut up Murphy" Clarke growled. "And then Roan showed us the oasis, so everything was okay. Are we going there today?" she looked at Clarke. "Not if you ask me that question again" Clarke responded arching her eyebrows. "Better be careful Maddi" Roan cautioned "she's got that look on her face." Clarke glared at him "not helpful" she leveled her gaze at him. "Sorry" he muttered, and then looked at Maddi. "We will go to the oasis before we go home" he told her "so don't ask again." Maddi nodded "okay" she said properly chastised. Bellamy watched all this with a mixture of amusement and jealousy. He was glad that Clarke had not been alone; but moments like this reminded him of the closeness she and Roan had developed.

The bunker is just ahead," Roan told them as he started walking. Before Clarke or Roan had to show any of them where the bunker was, a long dark haired figure emerged from the soot and ashes.


	35. Chapter 35

For the second time in four days, Bellamy's breath was caught in his throat. He was caught between staying with Clarke and going to see the other person he'd been so desperate to see. "Go" Clarke said. Bellamy needed no further urging. He broke into a run and didn't stop until his arms were firmly around his sister. "I missed you O" he said swinging her around. "Well you don't look any worse for the wear" he said sitting her down "You'll have to tell me the joys of being a leader" he said. "Before she could respond, they were joined by Monty, Harper, Raven and even Emori and Murphy ran up to her.

Clarke and Roan were held back by a reluctant Maddi, who was suddenly rooted in her spot. Echo also stayed close to Roan on the other side. He looked from one to the other than to Clarke, who laughed at him. "Not helpful" he muttered, glowering at her. She laughed again and bent down to pick up Maddi, who clung to her. Roan turned to look at Echo "I get it, you're worried, but nobody is going to touch you. Stay close to Raven or Bellamy if you get worried. Once Clarke and I get Maddi settled down, I will talk to someone and make sure you are safe permanently" he told her "Okay?" he asked. "Okay" she agreed.

He motioned for Raven to come over to him "what's up?" she asked. "Will you stay close to Echo until Clarke and I can get Maddi settled down?" he asked. "Yeah sure" Raven agreed looping an arm through Echo's... "Trust me, nobody will mess you because if they mess with you, they mess with me and if they mess with me, they mess with Bellamy; and nobody wants to mess with Bellamy because he is the commander's sister" she said. Echo didn't look convinced, but she allowed herself to be propelled toward the bunker.

Octavia narrowed her gaze when Raven walked up with Echo, but a look from Bellamy silenced anything she could say. "She's one of us O" he said "I know you have your reservations, but she is one of us now." Octavia sighed "Fine, she has my protection. I will let others know, but I am watching you" she looked at Echo. "Satisfied?" She asked glowering at Bellamy. "Very much so" he said hugging her again "I missed you big brother" she leaned into him. Suddenly she pulled away "Hey aren't we missing a few people?" she looked around. Bellamy nodded pointing in the distance to where Clarke and Roan were sitting with Maddi "I think Maddi is a little freaked out" he said. "Ahh" Octavia sighed "I think I know someone who can help with that situation" she said turning on her heels. She returned a few minutes later with Abby, who had tears in her eyes.

With Echo settled Roan turned to Maddi who was huddled in Clarke's arm looking fearfully at the bunker. Clarke sat on the ground with Maddi in her lap. Roan joined them. "Alright sprite we've been here many times. What's the difference now?" he asked. She glanced at the bunker, then back at them. "Is it because it's open and there are a lot of people in there?" Clarke asked. Maddi nodded. "There are a lot of people in there, some of them are friends, others we don't know about yet, but do you really think Clarke or I are going to let anything happen to you or to any of us?" Roan asked her. Maddi shook her head. "So, do you want to go over there?" Clarke asked. Maddi shook her head. "Okay, we'll stay here for a little bit, just the three of us" Roan told her. Maddi smiled, slipping her hand into his.

Abby stopped briefly to give Bellamy a hug "It's good to see you" she said. He smiled "It's good to see you too Abby" he returned. The others noticed Abby as well. She greeted them all, pulling Raven into a big hug "I'm glad to see you" she whispered into her hair. "It's good to see you too" Raven said, "but I bet I'm not the reason you're here, am I?" she asked. "No, not really" she said. "Go" Raven told her "I'll be here when you're done."

Clarke and Roan were still trying to convince Maddi it was okay to go in the bunker when a shadow fell over them. Clarke looked up and tears began to form in her eyes. "Mom" She sighed. Abby, who was also crying sat down beside her and took her hand. "You look beautiful" she sighed touching Clarke's short hair. Abby looked over at Roan "thank you for taking care of my daughter" she said squeezing his hand. He smiled "You're welcome" he said and started to rise "I'll give you two some time" he said. Abby put a hand on his leg and shook her head "we'll have time for that later" she told him. "In the meantime, who is this beautiful little girl?" Abby slid a hand down Maddi's cheek, Maddi looked at Clarke. "Maddi" she said "This is my mom. Her name is Abby, can you say hi to her?" she asked. Maddi looked at Roan "It's okay, she won't hurt you" he told her. Maddi buried her head in Clarke's shoulder. Clarke laughed and held her close.

"It's okay Maddi" Abby said "I bet this is a little scary for you, huh?" she asked. Maddi nodded, it was a start. "I bet Clarke and Roan would go inside with you" she said. Maddi turned her head to see Clarke's eyes "Hey doodlebug" she said softly "let's go inside. Roan and I will be with you the whole time" she promised. "We're not going to stay her forever are we?" she asked softly. Clarke laughed "just for a few days, then we're going to go home, I promise" Clarke told her. "All of us?" Maddi asked looking at Roan. "All of us" he promised. "Okay" she agreed quietly standing up. Roan and Clarke stood up also and she took their hands, clutching them tightly.

Abby walked behind her daughter and Roan as they walked toward the bunker, marveling at their interactions with this child. Clearly, the child loved and trusted the two of them very much. Abby had so many things she wanted to tell Clarke and so many questions to ask; but clearly Maddi was very much a priority for them. They came to the entrance of the bunker where the others waited for them. "Is she okay?" Bellamy asked coming up behind Clarke. Clarke nodded "she's just a little freaked out, give her some time to adjust" she said grabbing his hand with her free hand and squeezing it. "It's good to see you again Clarke" Octavia said hugging her "It's good to see you too" Clarke smiled at her.

Octavia bent down "You must be Maddi" she smiled at the child clinging to Clarke and Roan. Maddi stared at her and shifted towards Roan wrapping her arm around his thigh. "I see you lived" Octavia greeted him "It's good to see you" she told him. "Congratulations on your victory" he told her. "I guess I was a little smarter than Luna gave me credit for" she shrugged. "I think a lot of people underestimated you" he smiled at her. "They don't anymore" she replied. "About Echo…" he began. She held her hand up "Bellamy has already vouched for her, she will be safe, but I will be keeping an eye on her" she told him. "Fair enough" he nodded in agreement.

"Well "she addressed the group "It's just about lunch time, so if you all want to eat, come on in" she said pointing the bunker. "One by one, they filed into the bunker until only Roan, Clarke and Maddi, Bellamy and Octavia remained. When Maddi hesitated, Clarke lifted her into her arms and walked down the stairs with Roan right behind her. Octavia and Bellamy were the last ones to enter the bunker. She left the door open; there was no need to close it anymore.

 **A/N… This is a little short for my taste. I have more to come. I just have to figure out where to go from here. Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews. I can't get this story out of my head. Until I do, I will keep writing it.**


	36. Chapter 36

Bellamy marveled at the way people moved out of the way when Octavia passed by. The respect she commanded from the 1,200 people she'd led was an impressive feat that even he and Clarke hadn't achieved in their leadership. She truly wasn't the little girl under the floor anymore. "What?" she asked him when she saw him smirking at her? "I will never be that obedient to you" he informed her. "Don't worry, I've got minions to make you do what I want you to do" she teased. "I'll sick mama bear on you" he threatened glancing over at Clarke, who was actively watching anyone who came anywhere near Maddi or Roan. "She might be even scarier as a mom than she ever was as a leader" Octavia agreed.

Clarke was a mom. On some level he'd known that, but until someone else said it out loud it didn't really sink in. "How's that going?" Octavia asked him "I mean the Roan and Maddi thing?" Bellamy shrugged "Better than I feel like its going" he said "I know she doesn't love him and he doesn't love her, but they both love that little girl so much" he sighed. "What about you?" Octavia asked him. "Until this morning she wouldn't say two words to me" he said "but she's coming around." Octavia grinned "imagine that a girl who doesn't fall at the feet of Bellamy Blake" she snorted. "I'm starting to win her over" he exclaimed "Once she realized I wasn't going to make his highness go away, she started warming up to me" he said.

Octavia looked over where Roan, Maddi and Clarke sat in a corner of the dining room. The little girl huddled as close to them as she could get. "It was just the three of them for six years" he said. "And now seeing over 1,200 people, some of whom may want to hurt the man who has become her dad" Octavia sighed. "I can't imagine why she would be a little freaked out" she mused. Bellamy grinned "On the other hand, she and Raven hit it off right away" he said. As if on cue, Raven walked over to the three of them. She knelt down and said something to the child, holding out her hand. Maddi looked to Roan and Clarke. They nodded at her then took the hand offered by Raven and allowed herself to be led away, with a backward glance at them. Clarke said something they couldn't hear, but whatever it was, it must have helped because she followed Raven without looking back.

A few minutes later Roan and Clarke walked over to where they stood. "How is she doing?" Bellamy asked wrapping his arm around Clarke's waist and tugging her against him. "She's getting there. Raven was going to take her to meet some of the other kids in the bunker" Clarke explained. "That won't last for too long" Roan predicted "Maddi has never been around other kids, so she spends as much time being a little adult as she does being a kid" he said. "Can we talk?" Roan looked at Octavia. "Sure" she nodded "We can talk in my office" she said walking towards a room behind her. "My sister has an office" Bellamy snorted, turning Clarke in his arms. "Do you realize she has done a better job of leading 1,200 people, than you or I did leading a hundred?" he asked, placing his hands on her hips and backing her against the wall.

"Good, I'm tired of making the hard decisions" Clarke said wrapping her arms around his neck. "I just want to get you and Roan and Maddi home and only take care of the four of us" she sighed leaning forward to kiss him. "I can get behind that idea" he agreed leaning in for another kiss. Abby walked up behind Bellamy and cleared her throat. "Mom" Clarke smiled, disentangling herself from her Bellamy's arms and into her mother's, "I missed you" Clarke sighed "and I am so sorry for being a brat" she said.

"My beautiful little girl has grown up on me" Abby sighed "and has a little girl of her own" tears sprung to her eyes. "Maddi is not mine" Clarke replied "she became yours the day you and Roan rescued her and made the decision to raise her" Abby returned. "That little girl may not call you her mom, but she looks to you and to Roan for decisions that a mom and dad would make" Abby pointed out. "According to O you are scarier as a mom, then you ever was as a leader" he said, "I love her and I would die to protect her, which includes protecting Roan, because Maddi loves him, and he loves her. He would die protecting her and me. I need you two to understand that" she looked at them. "I do" Bellamy looked into her eyes when he said it. "Me too" Abby agreed.

That settled, Abby looked began poking and prodding at Clarke "what are you doing?" Clarke asked reclaiming her arms. "No radiation burns? So the nightblood worked?" Abby asked. "Yes, mom it worked, but I got really sick before I got better" Clarke answered. "How did you survive? We're you in a bunker? What…" Abby was stopped when Clarke held up her hand. "I will answer all of your questions, but one at a time, okay?" she laughed. Abby nodded "I'm sorry" she sighed "I'm just so happy to see you and I have so many questions to ask and so many things to tell you." Clarke was about to say something when an arm came around her waist. "It is so good to see you" Kane walked up, carrying a child about Maddi's age in his arms. "You too" he left her side and walked over to Bellamy, holding out his hand. "Good job" he said when Bellamy shook his hand. "Thank you sir, but it was a team effort" he said.

Clarke looked at Abby "Something to tell me?" she asked. Abby smiled as Kane walked over to her and the boy leaned into Abby's arms. "This is Ethan" she said "after the two of you left, Jaha tried to pull a coup, his father did not survive the culling, and neither did Jaha. Kane and I have raised Ethan ever since. "A little brother, huh?" Clarke grinned. "I always wanted a little brother" she said. "Hi Ethan" Clarke walked over to him "I'm Clarke, it's nice to meet you" she said. Ethan grinned shyly at her, laying his head on Abby's shoulder.

"Clarke" Maddi came running into the room. Clarke bent down to catch her as she bounded into her arms. Raven came hurrying in, "sorry, she got away" she shrugged. "I thought you were gone" Maddi rested her head on Clarke's shoulder. "Now where would I go without my doodlebug?" Clarke smiled at her. Maddi's silently studied Bellamy, who had his arm around Clarke. "Did you meet some new friends?" Maddi shook her head "Where's Roan?" she asked. "Right here sprite" he said walking in the room. She jumped down from Clarke's arms and ran over to him. He picked her up into his arms and held her. "It's good to see you" Kane addressed Roan. "It's good to be seen" Roan returned. "I hear we have you to thank for Clarke's safe return" he said. "She did pretty well on her own before I came along" Roan returned "after that, we helped each other, and then Maddi came along and saved both of us" he said.

"How did you survive?" Abby asked them. "How much time do you have?" Clarke chortled. "All the time in the world" Abby told her "I spent six months wondering if my daughter was dead or alive and another five and a half years wishing I could be there with her. I will make time to hear your story." Clarke rolled her eyes "Mom" she groaned, but it was clear by the look in Abby's eye that the time for questions to be answered was now. Bellamy had questions too, he's just stopped asking them, but now that Abby was demanding answers, he would get his.

"If we're going to do this, can we at least sit?" Clarke asked. Abby motioned to the couch behind them. Clarke sat down in the middle. Bellamy sat on one side of her, while Roan and Maddi sat on the other. The others sat in other chairs. "What do you want to know?" she asked.


	37. Chapter 37

Abby looked at her daughter sitting between two men who obviously cared a great deal about her. She had so many questions she wasn't sure she actually wanted answers to. She wanted to be brave, but her heart hurt to think of the things Clarke went through after praimfaya. "How did you survive?" Abby asked "We didn't know if the nightblood treatment worked. "We weren't sure either" Bellamy shook his head "so when she took off her helmet after we were attacked in the woods, I wanted to shake her" he swore. "You what?" Abby looked at her "and when were you were attacked?" the latter was directed at Bellamy, who conveniently forgot to mention that piece of the story when he was talking to Abby all those years ago.

"Emori's helmet was damaged in the attack and she would not have survived if I hadn't. It wasn't a big deal, Monty and Harper were close to us and they had an extra suit" Clarke shrugged. "You knew that?" Abby asked eyebrows arched at her stupid, daring daughter. "No, she didn't" Bellamy answered for her, "but as usual she didn't think five minutes ahead of her next decision" he scowled, leveling his eyes at her. "That never changed by the way" Roan chipped in "at least until we found Maddi" he said. Clarke looked on either side of her and rolled her eyes "Like you two have never done that?" she scoffed. "You are too much like your father" Abby sighed, her head held in her hands.

"Ok, I don't really need to know any more details about that"Abby said"How you survived. Where did you survive?" she asked. "Once I got the radio hooked up and adjusted the dish, I climbed back down and ran like hell to the lab" Clarke told her. "I saw the fire rolling toward me. I tripped over a limb and the helmet of my suit was cracked, but I made it inside. I passed out soon after. I don't know for how long, but when I woke up, I was okay." Bellamy paled at her words. There were parts of her story that she definitely hadn't told him. "What about you?" Kane looked at Roan, "you weren't a nightblood before, plus we saw Luna drown you" He said.

"He plays dead really well" Clarke replied. "I was injured, badly, but when I saw Octavia take out Luna, I bided my time, and then I did what I'd seen Clarke and Abby do in the lab. When I had to chance, I snuck out of Polis and hid in a bunker for a few days" Roan answered. "Like Clarke, I had sores and boils for a few days, but after the fire went out, I could walk around outside" he said. "And Maddi?" Abby asked. "We don't know" Roan admitted "by the time we found her she'd been on her own for almost a year, but she must have been a nightblood from birth" he said.

Abby looked at them "how old was she when you found her?" she asked. "Five" Clarke answered. "So this little four-year-old survived a whole year after praimfaya by herself?" Abby asked. Roan nodded "I daresay better than Clarke" Maddi's spear actually killed things" he chortled. "I'm going to drown you in the pool at the ark" Clare swore, shaking her head. "Yeah, you tried and failed at that too" he shot back grinning at her.

"Anyway" Clarke shook her head "I stayed in the bunker for a while, but I started to go stir crazy, so when I realized I could survive outside, I started living in the lab" she said. "I dug through the ashes of the house and took what I could to make a radio and a raft"

"Which sank after one trip" Roan snorted,

"At least it got me off the island" she retorted. Bellamy watched their display with a mixture of amusement and envy. Clearly, what the two of them had become because of their ordeal was as strong as the bond he and Clarke shared.

"When I started running low on MREs and other supplies I decided to leave the island to search the bunkers and buried cars" she said. The first night I slept in the woods. "I was a little worried because I didn't know if anyone or anything else was out there, but I was so tired and there wasn't a bunker for miles" she sighed.

"That she knew of" Roan chimed in again.

She looked over at him "I knew someone was watching me" she shook her head. "I was shocked to see you, I should have known even praimfaya couldn't kill the mighty Wanheda" he scoffed. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked him "There was no need to. I knew there was nobody else in the woods besides the two of us" he shrugged.

"How long before your revealed yourself" Bellamy asked, curious to hear his answer.

"The next night, right before I was trying to get some sleep" Clarke answered. "I bet that was a shock" Abby chortled. "Oh yeah, especially since he was supposed to be dead" Clarke agreed. "After that we stayed together, finding and raiding all the bunkers and buried cars we could. Finally, we decided to stay at the ark" she said. "Thanks to Jasper's decision to ride and die the radiation there, parts of the ark were virtually untouched. It's been our home ever since" she finished.

Maddi, who had been sitting quietly in Roan's arms listening to the things that were being said, whispered something in his ear. "Soon sprite" he smiled "very soon." Clarke looked over at him "she wants to go home, huh?" She asked. He nodded and was about to say something else when Maddi looked at Clarke warily before whispering something else. Roan laughed "I think it's safe to ask her that question, just give us a few minutes, okay?" he asked. She nodded and laid her head back on his shoulders. Clarke didn't need to know what question Maddi had asked him "Yes, Maddi" she sighed "We will go swimming in a little bit" she said. Maddi grinned "okay" she said.

"She can talk" Abby smiled at her. Maddi buried her face back in Roan's shoulders. "Come here doodlebug" Clarke said reaching for her. Roan shifted Maddi's little body to Clarke, who put her on her lap. "Remember you wanted to meet my mom?" she asked. Maddi nodded "well, here she is, so why don't you at least say hi?" Clarke prompted. "Hi" Maddi mumbled obediently. "This is Kane" Clarke said pointing at him, "and that little boy" who was acting as shyly as Maddi "is Ethan" Clarke told her.

"Is he your little brother?" she asked. "I guess you could say that" Clarke replied. "He came to them like you came to Roan and I" Clarke explained. "So, they're like his mom and dad?" Maddi asked. Clarke looked at her mom, who was giving her and "I told you so" look. "Yes, they kind of are" Clarke agreed. "Did his mom and dad die like mine did?" she asked. Clarke closed her eyes; Maddi had never spoken of her parents before. "Yeah they did" Clarke answered her, trying to hold her voice level. "Does that make you sad?" she asked. "A little" she sighed, leaning into Clarke.

Abby watched the exchange, tears glistening in her eyes. She had so many more questions for Clarke, but those would have to wait. "So, there is somewhere to go swimming around her?" she asked Maddi. Maddi nodded "Roan said it used to be an oasis before the fire burned it up" she said, forgetting to be shy. "I bet Ethan would love to go outside and play in the water" Abby told her "Do you think you can show me where it's at?" she asked. Maddi turned her head, looking to Clarke for permission. Clarke nodded "yes" Maddi responded. "Oh good" Abby told her "We have to get Ethan into some other clothes though. Can we leave in a minute?" she asked. Maddi nodded. Kane and Abby left with Ethan to change clothes.

"I'm proud of you doodlebug" Clarke smiled at her "I bet that was hard, huh?" she asked. Maddi nodded "sometimes I miss my mom and dad" she replied sadly "but I think they would be happy knowing I have you and Roan to take care of me" she said. "I hope so" Clarke sighed hugging her "but we're not trying to replace your mom and dad" she said looking Maddi in the eye. "But I don't want anyone else to be my mom" Maddi said gazing at Clarke. "I would love to be your mom Maddi" Clarke told her. Bellamy sucked in a breath, fearing what would come next; but as it turned out Clarke had that covered already. "What about Roan?" Clarke asked "and Bellamy? Where do they fit in?" she asked. "They can be my two dads Maddi declared" grinning.

"What a lucky little girl you are" Raven declared "to have not one, but two daddies." Maddi grinned "and two moms, too" she replied. "Two?" Raven asked. "Who's the other one?" she asked "You" Maddi answered. Raven looked at Clarke clearly confused. Bellamy dropped his head into his hands, something told him he was about to be busted big time. "Yeah, Bellamy says you should be with Roan and that would make you my other mom."

"Oh really?" Roan drawled "do tell Bellamy, what your plan was?"

Bellamy groaned "Maddi that was supposed to be our little secret" he told her. "You didn't say it was a secret." Clarke snickered "No you didn't Bellamy" she agreed. He just shook his head.


	38. Chapter 38

"Yeah Bellamy" Raven leaned over to look at him "What was your plan?" she asked laughter gleaming in her eyes. He sat up looking rather uncomfortable "It wasn't actually a plan" he said "more of a thought, like if I distracted Roan with someone else he wouldn't focus so much on my Clarke" he shrugged. Clarke and Roan looked at each other and shook their heads "How many times do I need to tell you?" she sighed taking Bellamy's hand in hers.

"In my defense" he said "I was literally light years away with an overactive imagination." Clarke rolled her eyes "extremely overactive" she agreed.

"Bellamy" Roan looked at him "I never once thought about CLarke that way, nor did she look at me that way. Our focus always has been and always will be Maddi" he told him "Not that I could do with a good 'distraction'" he smiled at Raven "but I will make Maddi my priority over and a above all things and people."Bellamy nodded "fair enough" he said " and for what it's worth I'm sorry. I will try to control my overactive imagination" he said. "It's a good thing you're so cute" Clarke muttered kissing him softly. "You are so lucky we love you" Raven scowled at Bellamy.

Roan watched the three of them "Is there anything you guys don't forgive the other for?" he mused. "No, because that's how we survive" Raven answered for them "and for the record, you're one of us now since I assume you are not going anywhere" she leveled her gaze at him. He grinned, Raven Reyes had moxie. Maybe she could be a good 'distraction' as Bellamy put it. "I'm not going anywhere" he confirmed looking directly at her. Raven finally looked away when Abby walked back in the room with Ethan a few minutes later. "Okay Maddi" she said "why don't you show us where this pool is" she asked, "Maddi nodded taking Clarke's hand and walking out the door.

Abby sat beside Clarke and on the grass watching Maddi, Roan, Ethan and Bellamy splash in the water. "I can't believe you got to enjoy all this" she held her hands out "while the rest of us wasted away in a bunker." Clarke shrugged "there were definitely perks to being a nightblood, but it was also very lonely that first year" she said. Abby sighed and clasped Clarke's hand in hers If i'd have known all that happened was going to, you never would have left the bunker" she said. "And then one of my friends would have died, probably Bellamy" Clarke countered and I wouldn't of been able to handle that" she sighed.

"But I did survive" Clarke reminded her "and here we all are, so how about we forget the past and build a new future?" she proposed. "One that includes Bellamy and Roan and Maddi?" Abby asked. CLarke smiled "Complicated, yes I know, but they are all part of my family" she said "They'll just have to get used to each other, they have no choice."

Abby ran her fingers down Clarke's cheek "I missed so much of your life, before and after praimfaya" she sighed."I'm sorry I wasn't a better mom" she began, but Clarke cut her off. "You were a good mom, I was just a brat, who didn't understand" she said. "Having Maddi has taught me to appreciate you, everything you've done, right or wrong" Clarke took her hand "so how about we put the past where it belongs, huh?" she asked. Abby blinked back tears "when did you get so wise" she asked. "You learn a lot when you spend an entire year with nothing to do and no one to distract you from every decision you ever made" Clarke told her "and then Maddi came along and taught me the rest" Clarke told her.

Maddi walked up onto the grass and sat down in Clarke's lap "Thanks Maddi" I needed to cool off" she drawled. "So if you are my new mom, does that make her my grandma?" maddi asked. Clarke smiled "yes, I believe it does" she laughed. Abby smiled softly at them "Would you like me to be your grandma?" she asked. Maddi shrugged "I guess that would be okay" she agreed. "Are you coming back to live with us at the ark?" Maddi asked her. "I don't know, I'll have to check with Kane, but we will definitely come visit you if we don't" she said.

Bellamy walked up to the three of them and laid down beside Clarke "How do you guys keep up with her?" he asked nodding at Maddi. "We don't" Roan snorted dropping down beside him "we usually sit on a chair at the ark watching her wear herself out" he said. Ethan was the last one out of the water. He sat down beside Abby "I'm hungry" he declared. "You're always hungry" she replied.

Bellamy looked up at Clarke "so, a little brother, huh?" he asked. Clarke grinned "apparently, I won't be as annoying to this one as you are to your sister" she assured him. He smiled "sometimes I do it just for fun" he told her. "Better be careful, she has an army behind her now" Clarke pointed out. "I'll take my chances" he laughed.

Maddi yawned "I think someone needs a nap" Clarke said."I'm too old for naps" Maddi protested, but her tired eyes we're giving her away. "Well, I don't know about you sprite, but I could use a nap" Roan stepped in "its been a long day and we have had a lot of things happen" he told her. "That hasn't worked since I was little" Maddi rolled her eyes. "I have an idea" Abby said "why don't I take Madi and Ethan to our quarters, they can watch some videos" she asked. Maddi looked to Roan and Clarke "go ahead doodlebug" Clarke told her "my mom will find me when you are done."


	39. Chapter 39

Roan left with Abby and the kids to go back to the bunker leaving Bellamy and CLarke alone at the oasis. "Finally alone" Bellamy sighed and pulled Clarke down beside him "I thought I would never get you alone" he said wrapping an arm around her waist. She looked up at him "and now that you have me alone,what are you going to do with me?" she asked wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well" he drawled nibbling her neck "I have a few ideas" he continued moving his mouth to within inches of hers "most of them are going to have to wait until we can be alone, but I can do this" he said slanting his lips over hers. She moaned and leaned into him deepening the kiss. "I love you" he said. "And I love you" she returned "Even when you are being a jealous so and so" she grinned.

"Cant help it" he sighed "I was afraid you were going to move on without me. Six years is a long time to wait" he said. "I would wait a lifetime for you Bellamy Blake" she whispered against his lips. "Well we only have to wait a little longer" he told her. "When we get home, back to the ark, I'm taking you to our bedroom and locking the door" he promised kissing her again. "Until then, we should get back to the bunker" he said sitting up and pulling her with him.

"I'd rather stay here with you" she sighed. "Me too, but alas we have things to do and people to see" Bellamy stood up and tugged her to her feet "but as soon as we get back to the ark, all bets are off." Clarke wrapped an arm around his neck "I'm going to hold you to that" she said kissing him. "You do that" he said taking her hand and walking out of the oasis.

Bellamy walked into Abby's office three hours later "Do you have a minute?" he asked her. "Sure" she said "have a seat" she motioned to a chair next to her "What can I do for you?" she asked him. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, he looked nervous and fidgeted a little bit. "I wanted to see you, to talk to you about Clarke" he said. "I figured out about twenty minutes after the rocket launched that I loved Clarke, even with all the dumb decisions she makes" he shook his head. "Finally?" Abby smiled.

"I've been a little distracted saving the world" Bellamy shrugged "Then I spent six months thinking she was dead. After her first message from the ground I knew I had at least five years to wait, but I promised when I got back to her side, I was never going to leave her again." Abby smiled at him "and how is that going?" She asked. 'Better since I won Maddi over" he snorted "that was quite a feat." Abby laughed at that "I can see how hard that would be."

"I want to marry her Abby" he said "if you would allow it." Abby smiled at him "I would be honored to have you in my family Bellamy. I know my daughter will be in good hands with you" she said. "Do you have a ring?" She asked. "There weren't exactly jewelry stores on the ring, but I think she won't hold it against me" he quipped.

Abby pulled a chain from around her neck. "I have carried these around for years now. Marcus says to keep them because Jake is a part of me, but they will mean more to Clarke than they do to me anymore" she said unhooking the chain and pooling the pair of rings in his hand. "Take care of her Bellamy, even when she doesn't deserve it" she said closing his fingers on the rings. "I will" he promised placing the rings in his pockets. "Thank you" he said. "You're welcome" she said hugging him "now go find my daughter" she said shooing him out the door.

Maddi ran up to Clarke and Roan in the dining hall. "Hey there doodlebug" Clarke greeted her. They had not seen her in a few hours. According to Abby, her and Ethan were playing games and watching movies. "Can I spend the night with Ethan tonight?" She asked leaning on Roan. "I don't care if Clarke dosent" he told her. Maddi turned to look at Clarke, who nodded her approval "be good" she instructed. "I know" Maddi sighed dramatically before running off again.

"well I guess that means we have the night off' Roan looked at Clarke. "I guess so" she agreed "I don't remember what that is like it's been so long." He laughed "I bet Bellamy could figure out how to fill it" he looked at her pointedly. "I'll bet he could" she agreed "and what will you do?" She asked. "I might get 'distracted'" he grinned. "Oh really?" Clarke smiled back at him "anyone I know?" She asked innocently. Roan merely grinned and stood up, have a good night Clarke."

Clarke found Bellamy in Octavia's office. "Aren't you missing an attachment?" he asked looking for Maddi. "She is spending the night with her grandmother" Clarke answered smiling at him. He stopped and looked up at her "oh really?" he grinned and your other attachment?" He looked at her. "Looking for a 'distraction" she leaned against the door and crossed her arms over her chest. "Sorry O" Bellamy kissed her on the cheek "I just got a better offer."Octavia watched her brother go out the door his arm slung around Clarke's shoulder. It astounded her that it took the two of them so long to figure out what everybody else already knew.

"How did you manage to get the night off?" Bellamy asked CLarke as they walked, She shrugged "Maddi wanted to watch videos with Ethan, so she is staying there. Why are you complaining, cause I can totally go get her"she teased. "Not a chance" Bellamy grinned "in fact the commander" he rolled his eyes "got us a room with a door that locks…" he drawled gazing at her. "Lead the way Mr. Blake" she sighed leaning against him. Bellamy needed no further urging.

"It appears that I have the night off" Roan walked to where Raven stood "So, are you planning on distracting me or what?" He asked leaning against the rail next to her. She shook her head "and why would I do that?" She drawled. "Isn't that Bellamy's plan?" He asked. "Just because it is Bellamy's plan, doesn't mean its mine" she looked at him "but if you're bored I suppose you could show me the oasis Maddi keeps talking about" Raven told him. "I could do that I suppose" he said taking her arm and walking with her towards the door.

Clarke and Bellamy easily found the room Octavia saved for them "Finally" Bellamy sighed turning the lock on the door once they were inside. "I thought we would never get a chance to be alone" he said backing her against the door. Clarke wrapped her arms around his waist"and now that we are?"she asked him. He gazed into her eyes dragging his thumb over her lower lip. "I have a few thoughts" he drawled his other hand sliding down her arm to wrap around her wrist. His other hand found her other wrist and he raised them over her head holding them there. Clarke sighed and leaned into very slowly, he lowered his head to take her lower lip into his mouth.

"Bell" she moaned, leaning into him. Bellamy snaked one arm around her waist and pulled her against him "I love you Clarke" he whispered huskily claiming her lips with his. He released her hand to wrap his other arm around her waist and pull her tightly to him. She dropped her arms around his neck. "Don't tell me, show me" she whispered against his mouth "I'd thought you'd never ask" he replied picking her up in his arms and carrying her to the bed.

"I can see why Maddi was dying to come here" Raven sighed leaning back against the smiled "Yes, it is quite peaceful" he agreed. "Speaking of peaceful where is Maddi?" She asked. "With Abby tonight, apparently they are watching movies." Raven was glad that Maddi was warming up to other people. "I assume CLarke is with Bellamy," she said looking at him. "Probably, the last time I saw her she was in the dining hall" he said.

"And here you are with me, does that mean you have decided to accept Bellamy's challenge to 'distract' you?" She asked. "The view isn't bad" he drawled looking at her. "Careful there your highness, you might find yourself with more than you bargained for" she grinned. "I lived for six years with Clarke Griffin" he retorted "there is very little you could do that is worse than some of the things she did." Raven looked at him "She wasn't that bad, was she?" Raven asked. "Only when she tbought about Bellamy, which was most of the time. Luckily Maddi and I learned how to distract her" he laughed.

Raven snorted "yeah, that didn't work with Bellamy" she scoffed "we just had to bully him into getting away from the communication lab" she said. "We?" He asked. "Echo and I" she explained "she became pretty good at handling him" Raven told him. "I still cant believe that the two of them actually learned to get along" Roan shook his head. "Why not?" Raven challenged "you and Clarke did" she pointed out.

"Praimfaya changed everything I guess" she said."that it did" he said looking around "this used to be such a beautiful place" he looked around "with a wall of green shrubs that pretty much hid the whole thing." Raven looked around "It isn't so bad now" she remarked. "Now, but its a lot different now than it was two years ago" he said "the greenery is just starting to come back."

Raven stretched and got out of the water, laying back on the ground "I could stay here tonight" she sighed looking up at the sky. "So do it" Roan told her. "That's a better view than I've seen in a long time" she sighed. "The view from space had to be amazing" he said joining her. "It was a nice view" she agreed "but it wasn't a way to live. Though I did get to do a space walk" she smiled remembering that piece. "A spacewalk?" He asked.

"There's nothing like it " she got a dreamy look in her eyes "I had to open the ring, but couldn't do it from the rocket so I tethered myself to it and just floated to the ring" she sighed. He smiled at the look on her face I can't imagine what that's like" he admitted. "It's like jumping from the top of Mount Weather only without the splat at the bottom of it" she grinned. "Now there's an image" Roan drawled. "That's the best way I can think of explaining it" she laughed.

Clarke woke up the next morning with Bellamy's arm around her waist holding her against him. She could tell by his breathing that he was still sleeping. There was a knock at the door. She carefully extracted herself from his grip and padded to to the door "Sorry to wake you up, but somebody misses her mom" Octavia stood outside the door. "Thanks" Clarke said opening the door so Maddi could come in. "See you later kiddo" Octavia told her closing the door.

"Did you have fun?" Clarke asked quietly. Maddi nodded "But I missed you and Roan" she sighed leaning against her. Clarke laughed ame picked her up "and we missed you?" She smiled at Maddi. Maddi peeked over her shoulder at Bellamy "Where's Roan?" She's asked. "He was going to find Raven last I saw him" Clarke said "that was last night.I bet he'll be around soon." Maddi looled over at Bellamy "Did he stay here last night?" She asked. Clarke nodded "Is that okay with you?" Maddi looked thoughtfully at her "I guess so" she sighed, "does Roan know he was here?" She asked. Clarke nodded "It was his idea" Clarke smiled at her.

Maddi slid down and walked over to the bed where Bellamy was starting to wake up. "Good morning Maddi" he drawled sleepily. "Hi" she returned staring at him. Bellamy drew the blankets up around him and sat up "did you have fun last night?" He asked her. She nodded and sat on the bed beside him. "Why did you stay here last night?" She asked. Bellamy threw a 'help me' look at Clarke, who watched in amusement. "Because you were with Abby and I don't know for sure, but I think Roan is with Raven" Clarke walked over to the bed. "So, our plan worked?" Maddi asked. "You mean the plan you told everyone about?" Bellamy grinned at her.

Maddi shrugged "you didn't tell me it was a secret" she pointed out. Bellamy smiled "so it seems" he said. "Okay doodlebug, I'm starving let's get some breakfast and let Bellamy catch up with us" she said leaning down to kiss him. He wrapped an arm around her ame pulled her down to him "or you could stay" he whispered against her lips. Clarke grinned at Maddi "Yeah, that's probably not a good idea" she drawled. "Fine, I will have to survive without you" he whined. "Or you could get dressed and come to breakfast with us" Maddi chimed in. Bellamy snorted "amazing how very much like you she is" he grinned at Clarke. Clarke merely laughed and kissed him again before taking Maddi's hand and walking to the door.


	40. Chapter 40

Raven woke up with her head leaning against Roan's shoulder, his arm wrapped around her shoulder "Well look who's finally awake" he grinned down at her. "Where are we?" She asked looking around, they were clearly not at the oasis anymore. "A bunker near the oasis" he told her "I was not going to sleep on the ground" he replied. "We could have just gone back to the ark" she reminded him. "Yeah, but I didn't really feel like it" he said "do you mind?" Raven shrugged "not really" She looked around "Is this where you stayed after praimaya?" She asked. He nodded "For a while, and Clarke, Maddi and I stayed here once on the way home from Polis" he answered.

Raven looked around "that must have been quite cramped" she said. "It was close quarters, but we were safe, and it was only one night" he returned. "You really looked out for her, didn't you?" She asked. "We took care of each other" he told her "everybody seems to forget that" he said. "I think we were all just so worried about her, and having you with her helped us to know she wasn't down here alone" she explained. "She is more resilient than you think" Roan told her "don't get me wrong, she had her moments, but she was also very strong, especially after we got Maddi" he said.

"Speaking of Maddi" Raven looked up at him "Is she going to wonder where you are?" She asked. "Probably" he agreed, "why trying to get away from me?" He teased. "Do you really want Bellamy to give us a hard time about this?" She asked. "Do you think he's not going to anyway?"he snorted. "Good point" She countered "but to answer your question "No, I have enjoyed spending time with you, but I want to find a horse or a rover and go home soon" she said. Roan sighed "okay, okay" he said lifting his arm from her shoulder. She stood up "Come on" she tugged at him "your daughter is going to wonder where you are?"

Roan let that thought sink in "My daughter, huh?" He smiled "I love that kid" he sighed. "It shows" she said "In the way you take care of her." Roan shrugged "She makes it easy" he said. "She is a good kid" Raven agreed "Now can we please get back?" She asked? He stood up and rose to his feet "okay, let's go" he said. The two of them walked out of the bunker.

Bellamy walked into the dining hall and sat down beside Maddi, who was sitting next to Ethan eating breakfast. "Hey, I need your help with something today" he told her "it's a secret, you can't tell anyone, especially Clarke" he said. Maddi looked at him "why?" She asked him suspiciously. He laughed at her reaction "nothing bad" he assured her "but I have a surprise for her." Maddi arched her eyebrows at him "She doesn't like surprises" Maddi told him. Bellamy looked at her "I know that Maddi, but she'll like this one" he said "I promise" She eyed him warily "Ok, but if you hurt her…" Maddi leveled her gaze at him. He grinned at her "I swear I won't hurt her" he said.

Maddi rose up suddenly and ran to the door. Bellamy watched as she jumped into Roan's arms. "Hey Sprite, did you have a good night with Abby and Ethan?" He asked. She nodded "Where were you?" She asked, seeing Raven behind him. She wasn't the only one, Bellamy noticed too. "I took Raven to the Oasis and then we stayed in the bunker" he told her. "Really?" Bellamy walked up gazing at Raven, who met his gaze "did you two have fun?" He asked. "Yes, as a matter of fact we did" she answered "and now I am going to take care of some other business" she grinned knowing walking away would drive him watched her leave "I assume Clarke found you?" He asked. He nodded "she did" he answered.

"I need to take care of something tonight with Clarke. I could use your help" he looked at them. Roan looked at Maddi and them at Bellamy "not here though" he looked around "come with me"he said walking out of the dining hall. Roan, still carrying Maddi followed Bellamy with great interest. They stopped at Abby's office and entered it closing the door behind them. "Do you think you can take care of Maddi tonight?" Bellamy asked Roan. "Depends, why?" He asked.

Bellamy dug into his pockets and held the rings Abby had given him in his open palm. "I spent a long time wishing there were things I'd said to Clarke" he told them "and now that we're in the same place at the same time, I don't ever want to be away from her again. So, I'm going to ask her to marry me, assuming you're okay with it" he looked at Maddi. "Where will you live?" Maddi asked him. "At the ark, with you and Roan and whoever wants to be there with us" he answered. Maddi looked over at Roan, who smiled at Bellamy "It's about damn time" he drawled. Bellamy rolled his eyes "everybody says that" he sighed. "Maybe because you two are the first two that should have known all along, but the last to figure it out" he said.

"We may be a little hard-headed" he shrugged "so will you help me?" He asked. "Maybe?" Roan snorted then looked to Maddi "we should help him" he said. "Okay" Maddi agreed "but if you hurt her…" she trailed off. Bellamy had a feeling Maddi could be a powerful enemy if he did, not that he had any intentions of doing so."I won't" he said "I swear."

"So what is the plan?" Roan asked Bellamy. "I need you two to get her here tonight about 6:00 and I will do the rest" he told them, "can you do that?" Roan nodded "we can do that, right Maddi?" He asked. Maddi nodded. "Thanks", Bellamy looked at them "I appreciate the help" he said. Maddi and Roan went in search of Clarke, while Bellamy headed to their room to get it ready for tonight.

"They found Clarke walking with Abby and Ethan "HiI doodlebug" Clarke greeted Maddi when she ran up to her. "So, did you get distracted?" She grinned at Roan."A little bit" he smiled "but nothing too extreme" he said. "I could get used to that kind of distraction though" he admitted. Clarke smiled "So could Raven" she replied 'but don't hurt her." Roan chuckled "Maddi just said the same thing to Bellamy about you" he said. Clarke rolled her eyes "You guys have to be nice to him" she told them "I love him and he isn't going anywhere" she told them. "We know" Roan told her "and we will support you" he promised.

Later that evening Maddi, who had been playing with Ethan again found Clarke "Bellamy is looking for you" she said. "You're talking to him now?" Clarke grinned. "I guess so" she said "He is waiting for you in your room" she said before turning around. "Where are you going? Clarke called after her "To the oasis with Ethan,Roan and Raven" Maddi stopped and turned around. "Maddi" Clarke called her again. Maddi turned and gave her an impatient shook her head, what happened to the shy little clear who barely left her side."Do i at least get a hug?" Clarke asked. Maddi grinned and ran back "I love you doodlebug" Clarke whispered into her hair. "I love you to now can I please go?" she sighed. Clarke laughed "yes, go miss impatient" she sighed "I'll see you later."

Abby walked up to her "hard isnt it?" she said wrapping an arm around Clarke's shoulder. Clarke shook her head "a week ago she wouldn't leave my side" she snorted. "Welcome to being a parent" Abby laughed "one minute you're their whole world, the next you're barely on their radar" she said staring at Clarke. "Where are you heading since you apparently have another night off?" Abby asked. "According to Maddi, Bellamy is looking for me" Clarke smiled, the upside of Maddi's new found independence was she got to spend some time with Bellamy. "Well then, I won't hold you up" Abby said. She had an inkling of what Bellamy was planning tonight.

Clarke found Bellamy standing in the doorway of 'their' room a few minutes later. "We have a room?" she asked wrapping her arms around him. He grinned "The perks of being the commander's big brother" he grinned dropping his head to kiss her. "So is there a reason we are standing out here, as opposed to going inside?" she asked. "I have a surprise for you" he said. "I hate surp…" she began "I know you hate surprises, but you'll like this one, so close your eyes and trust me" he spoke softly. She glowered at him "Whatever you're up to, it better be good" she sighed as she closed her eyes. "Better than good" he promised taking her hand in his.

"Come on Bell" she pleaded "the suspense is killing me." She could smell food and flowers, where he gotten flowers from was beyond her. "Be patient" whispered into her ear. She shivered at the sensation."Bellamy" she breathed. "Okay, I'm coming" she heard him laughing not too far away. He walked up to her placing his hands on her waist as he walked behind her "Okay, now open your eyes" he said after placing a soft kiss at the base of her neck.

Clarke opened her eyes, there was an elaborate dinner on the table with a single candle burning on it. Fresh roses were in a vase in the middle of the table. "Where on earth did you find fresh roses?" she asked smiling at him. "Apparently one of the clans has a gardner with quite a green thumb" he said wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. "What are you up to Bellamy Blake?" she asked softly turning in his arms to look him in the eyes."Who says I'm up to anything?" he drawled pulling her close enough to close the distance and claim her lips.

"You are definitely up to something" she told him, but allowed him to lead her to a chair anyway. "Or maybe I'm just making up for lost time" he countered sitting in a chair across from her. He removed the pan covering the meal, which smelled much better to CLarke than lunch had earlier. "Another perk from being related to the commander?" She asked eying the delicious looking food in front of her. "Actually, no" he said "this was thanks to your buddy Roan" he replied.

"Ok, so you Octavia involved" she looked around the room "Roan with the food and I assume Maddi to get me here, so tell me again that you are not up to anything?" She smiled at him sweetly. "I wasted a lot of years not saying or doing things I should have and I am not wasting a second more, even if it is a little over the top" he said gazing into her eyes. "Besides, I have to get my time in before we get back to the ark and the others come back with us" he said his thumb making slow Circles on the back of her hand. "Well far be it for me to complain" she replied "I agree" Bellamy said "now lets eat" he said offering her the plate of food to serve herself first.

"Where is our good king and your little princess?" Bellamy asked while they ate. "At the oasis with Raven and Ethan" she said. "Raven, huh?" He grinned "I knew those two would click." Clarke shook her head "I don't know if they are clicking or just enjoying not being in the bunker, "but they are definitely having fun together" she said. "It's a start" Bellamy grinned. They finished dinner and were talking "Ok, you've had the whole night to tell me what you're up to" she stood up and waliked over to him "Now out with it" she said sitting on his lap.

He wrapped his arms around her waist "Maybe, I just wanted to be alone with you?" He drawled "or maybe there is more and you are stalling?" She countered leaning into him. "Or maybe I am stalling a little bit" he admitted. "What's going on Bell?" She asked. "We wasted a whole lot of time you and I, before and after praimfaya" he said taking her hands in his, and I don't want to waste any more time" he looked at her. "I took a fire that destroyed everything in its path and six very long years for me to realize that I loved you" he looked into her eyes, but when I did, I knew what I wanted, what I needed, he corrected.

"I want you with me, all the time" Clarke looked at him trying not to cry "There's no place I'd rather be" she gazed into his eyes. "Good because I'm never going to leave you again Clarke Griffin" he said "I don't care what force on earth is coming to get us." He stood up taking her with him. Slowly, he lowered her to her feet then dropped to a knee in front of her. "Bell" she breathed huskily "what are you.." she asked. Bellamy dug into his pocket and pulled out Abby's engagement ring "Will you marry me?" He held out the ring "Yes, yes, yes" she cried kneeling next to him. "I love you Bellamy Bake" she sighed "and I love you he said kissing her hungrily.

Bellamy slid Abby's engagement bank on Clarke's finger. She held her hand up looking from her mom's ring to Bellamy."How long have you been working on this?" She asked him, leaning her back against his chest. He backed up to the wall, pulling her with him "and how many people knew what you were up to?" She asked. He smiled "a few day, and your mom, obviously" he grinned. "She also gave me these" he said pulling out her parent's wedding bands. Clarke touched her dad's wedding ring lovingly. "He would be so proud of you" Bellamy smiled. "He'd hate you" Clarke snorted "Of course he would" Bellamy agreed "because no one would ever be good enough for his princess" he said.

"As for who else knows" he said tracing the ring on her finger "Roan, Maddi, Octavia and probably Raven by now, since your little princess can't keep a secret to save her life" he chortled. "I knew you were up to something" she shook her head. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?" He joked. "I suppose" she said laying her head down on his shoulder. "I can't believe you got Maddi to keep a secret" Clarke laughed. "That kid has quite the stink eye" Bellamy declared "and the physical ability to back it up, too" Clarke told him. "I'll remember that" he snorted.

Clarke turned so that she faced him "how much time did you buy us?" She asked him. He grinned, the whole night of course" he said wrapping his arms around her "do you think we can find something to do with that time?" He whispered huskily against her lips. "I think we can find something to do" she agreed whispering something in his ear.

Bellamy groaned and stood lifting her into his arms as he did. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down in it "I think that can be arranged" he agreed kissing her until all thoughts of anything but the two of them in this moment disappeared.

********Six months later**********

Clarke rolled over in the bed, expecting to find Bellamy then she remembered he had insisted on honoring the old fashioned beliefs that a groom should not sleep with his bride the night before their wedding. She shook her head. Every night leading up to that point yes, but not this night. She. Supposed that was okay since the next few nights would be just the two of them wherever Bellamy had decided to take her. The region had bounced back quite nicely from praimfaya, but it wasn't like they could just jet off to a fancy, foreign place. Still, he refused to tell her anything about his plans.

Raven appeared in the doorway "well look who's finally awake" she drawled "your guests are starting to arrive" Clarke shrugged, "they can't start without me, so let them wait" she laughed. While it made Bellamy a little sad, he'd always known Octavia wouldn't come back to the ark. She still reigned as supreme commander, the difference now was that she'd formed a round table of advisors and representatives from each clan. Bellamy's little sister, who had grown up in hiding, was hiding no more; which was fine for him. For the first time in many years, all he had to was sit back and spend all his time showering Clarke and Maddi with his love and attention..

As if on cue, Maddi bounded into the room "I'm supposed to see if you are up yet" she said jumping on to the bed. She was no longer the shy little girl she and Roan had found all those years ago. Many people, both arkadians and grounders had opted to live their lives elsewhere, building homes in the still growing forests, some even integrating with the clans they once bitterly fought, "You tell Bellamy that I need to get beautiful and he is just going to have to wait" Clarke smiled at her. Maddi rolled her eyes, a skill she had perfected in the last six months. "He said that you would say that, and to tell you that you are already more beautiful than every other woman in the world, except me" she grinned "and that he has waited long enough."

Raven laughed "Then go tell your other dad to make sure everything is ready for tonight and we will be ready when we are ready" she instructed. "Okay" she agreed and went flying out the room as fast as she had come in. "and tell him to take Bellamy with him" Clarke called out hoping Maddi heard her. Clarke sat up against the headboard laughing "and when is it going to be your turn at this?" She asked, "not for a very, long time" she answered "not as long as you and Bellamy took, but not right away either." She smiled when said it though."Well don't wait for the next apocalypse" Clarke told her. "So noted" Raven nodded "now we better start getting you ready before Bellamy charges in here and makes you get married in what you're wearing" she laughed.

"Clarke looked down at the t-shirt she was wearing "Well, at least Bellamy wouldn't have to undo a million tiny buttons" CLarke quipped. Raven grinned "that the best part of that dress" she retorted. "Is there ever a day you two don't torture each other?" Clarke shook her head "not if i can help it" Raven returned "Now off to the bath with you, We have to spend a few hours torturing him with what he cant have until later" she nudged."I'm going i'm going" Clarke muttered climbing out of bed.

Two hours later, Clarke watched Ethan, then Maddi walk down the 'aisle' of delicate, red roses grown specifically for this purpose "are you ready?" Raven turned to her. She looked at her best friend in front of her, and her mom by her side "I've never been more ready for anything in my life" she sighed meeting the eyes of her beloved Bellamy, who smiled lovingly at her in return, standing next to him was his 'best man' and biggest cheerleader, Octavia. "Well then let's get this show on the road, because the sooner you do, the sooner I can dream about Bellamy having to undo all those tiny little buttons, while I laugh at him" she chortled. Clarke laughed "mean, just mean" she said pushing Raven toward the front of the church.

A/N And that's a wrap folks, thanks for the good reviews and the pointers. Now I need to get back to Octavia and Kane's story which I so rudely dropped after that terrible, but oh so great season finale! I hope you enjoyed the story!


	41. Chapter 41

Per a request I have updated chapter 27 to include a conversation from Maddi to the Ring. Enjoy!


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